used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
AlabasternounUS /ˈæləbæstər/
a compact fine-textured, usually white gypsum used for carving
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At home it seemed as if he had but one idea, and that was Alabaster.
besetverbUS /bɪˈset/
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
bettingadjectiveUS /ˈbetɪŋ/
preoccupied with the pursuit of pleasure and especially games of chance
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
BlairnounUS /bler/
British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)
From this reading The days that followed were days of torture to Elizabeth Blair.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
communitynounUS /kəˈmjuːnəti/
a group of people living in a particular local area
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
coolestadjectiveUS /ˈkuːləst/
superlative of “cool” — neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The days that followed were days of torture to Elizabeth Blair.
dispositionnounUS /ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/
your usual mood
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)
From this reading The days that followed were days of torture to Elizabeth Blair.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
widely known and esteemed
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
a feeling of favorable regard
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The days that followed were days of torture to Elizabeth Blair.
fraternitynounUS /frəˈtɜːrnəti/
a social club for male undergraduates
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
goadedadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊdɪd/
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At home it seemed as if he had but one idea, and that was Alabaster.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading At home it seemed as if he had but one idea, and that was Alabaster.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading At home it seemed as if he had but one idea, and that was Alabaster.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
infestsverbUS /ˌɪnˈfests/
third-person singular of “infest” — invade in great numbers
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
Jaybirdnoun
common jay of eastern North America; bright blue with grey breast
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
oddsnounUS /ɑːdz/
the likelihood of a thing occurring rather than not occurring
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The days that followed were days of torture to Elizabeth Blair.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading At home it seemed as if he had but one idea, and that was Alabaster.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
racingnounUS /ˈreɪsɪŋ/
the sport of engaging in contests of speed
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
rationaladjectiveUS /ˈræʃ.ən.əl/
Based on or in accordance with reason or logic rather than turbulent emotions.
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
secretlyadverbUS /ˈsiːkrɪtli/
in secrecy; not openly
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading At home it seemed as if he had but one idea, and that was Alabaster.
self-possessedadjective
in full control of your faculties
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
superstitiousadjectiveUS /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃəs/
showing ignorance of the laws of nature and faith in magic or chance
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The days that followed were days of torture to Elizabeth Blair.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The days that followed were days of torture to Elizabeth Blair.
thereupon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The days that followed were days of torture to Elizabeth Blair.
tortureverbUS /ˈtɔːrtʃər/
torment emotionally or mentally
From this reading The days that followed were days of torture to Elizabeth Blair.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was as if Blair could think of nothing but Alabaster and the famous match.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The days that followed were days of torture to Elizabeth Blair.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It got out among the betting fraternity which infests every racing community that Blair had a superstitious faith in the black horse, and thereupon they beset him.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Blair, in the coolest, most rational, and self-possessed way in the world, would give the most extraordinary odds, secretly goaded by the general disposition in favour of Jaybird.
