used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading Decision, after dinner, crystallized into action.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Decision, after dinner, crystallized into action.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
any thing at all
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
aphorismsnounUS /ˈæfərɪzəmz/
plural of “aphorism” — a short pithy instructive saying
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
the verbal act of requesting
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
avertverbUS /əˈvɜːrt/
prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
bindingnounUS /ˈbaɪndɪŋ/
the capacity to attract and hold something
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
Briggs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
broodingnounUS /ˈbruːdɪŋ/
sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
bubblingadjectiveUS /ˈbʌbəlɪŋ/
emitting or filled with bubbles as from carbonation or fermentation
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “I can’t explain now, Ezra,” said he, “but it’s most important.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I can’t explain now, Ezra,” said he, “but it’s most important.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
catastrophenounUS /kəˈtæstrəfi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
pleasing or delighting
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
crystallizedadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪstəlaɪzd/
having become fixed and definite in form
From this reading Decision, after dinner, crystallized into action.
cursesnounUS /ˈkɜːrsɪz/
plural of “curse” — profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
the act of making up your mind about something
From this reading Decision, after dinner, crystallized into action.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
douradjectiveUS /ˈdaʊər/
stubbornly unyielding
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
expansiveadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspænsɪv/
able or tending to expand or characterized by expansion
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
make plain and comprehensible
From this reading “I can’t explain now, Ezra,” said he, “but it’s most important.
extractedverbUS /ekˈstræktɪd/
past form of “extract” — remove, usually with some force or effort; also used in an abstract sense
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
EzranounUS /ˈezrə/
a Jewish priest and scribe sent by the Persian king to restore Jewish law and worship in Jerusalem
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
Filhiol
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
galleynounUS /ˈɡæli/
a large medieval vessel with a single deck propelled by sails and oars with guns at stern and prow; a complement of 1,000 men; used mainly in the Mediterranean for war and trading
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
glumadjectiveUS /ɡlʌm/
moody and melancholic
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
Hal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
ten 10s
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I can’t explain now, Ezra,” said he, “but it’s most important.
impendingadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpendɪŋ/
close in time; about to occur
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
of great significance or value
From this reading “I can’t explain now, Ezra,” said he, “but it’s most important.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
interviewedverbUS /ˈɪntərvjuːd/
past form of “interview” — conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Decision, after dinner, crystallized into action.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I can’t explain now, Ezra,” said he, “but it’s most important.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
engage in
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
MalaynounUS /ˈmeɪleɪ/
a member of a people inhabiting the northern Malay Peninsula and Malaysia and parts of the western Malay Archipelago
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
the force of workers available
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
make reference to
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
used to form the superlative
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
new-found
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
not any; not one
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “I can’t explain now, Ezra,” said he, “but it’s most important.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
make a promise or commitment
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
ROBBERYnounUS /ˈrɑːbəri/
larceny by threat of violence
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “I can’t explain now, Ezra,” said he, “but it’s most important.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Silent and brooding, Filhiol turned the situation in his mind, asking himself a hundred times what he could do to avert catastrophe impending.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading First of all the doctor interviewed Ezra in the galley, and from him extracted a binding promise to make no mention before Captain Briggs, of anything concerning Malay life, or books, or curses, or whatever.
in the company of; together with
From this reading ROBBERY Dinner brought the four men together: Filhiol glum and dour, Hal in his most charming mood, the captain expansive with new-found happiness, and old Ezra bubbling with aphorisms.
