Chapter II

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

(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 All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

plural of “bag” — a flexible container with a single opening

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the first real mystery ever known in Breckonside.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

someone whose employment involves carrying something

From this reading Now the missing carrier and postman had no open enemies.

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

dependent on a department

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

plural of “enemy” — an opposing military force

From this reading Now the missing carrier and postman had no open enemies.

divisible by two

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

at any time

From this reading It was the first real mystery ever known in Breckonside.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading It was the first real mystery ever known in Breckonside.

an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

promote the growth of

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

coins made of gold

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Now the missing carrier and postman had no open enemies.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

annoy continually or chronically

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was the first real mystery ever known in Breckonside.

showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

apprehended with certainty

From this reading It was the first real mystery ever known in Breckonside.

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

being roughly between 45 and 65 years old

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

not able to be found

From this reading Now the missing carrier and postman had no open enemies.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

a form of address for a man

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being)

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

any of several cruciferous plants of the genus Brassica

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

From this reading It was the first real mystery ever known in Breckonside.

in such a manner as could not be otherwise

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

not one and not the other of two

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

not any; not one

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now the missing carrier and postman had no open enemies.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Now the missing carrier and postman had no open enemies.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

someone who hunts or fishes illegally on the property of another

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

a man who delivers the mail

From this reading Now the missing carrier and postman had no open enemies.

a woman postmaster

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

likely but not certain to be or become true or real

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading It was the first real mystery ever known in Breckonside.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

plural of “scholar” — a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

an educational institution

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

make steady

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

in or at that place or location

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

(of persons) worthy of trust or confidence

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

worthy of trust or belief

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

not established or confirmed

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

too much to be measured

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading POACHER DAVIE There was no more thought of school that day--neither on the part of Mr. Mustard nor of any of his scholars.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

which person or people

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

a man whose wife is dead especially one who has not remarried

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.

in the company of; together with

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading He was a quiet, middle-aged man who had lived long in the village, a widower without children; no man's foe, not even his own; a steady, trustworthy, kindly man, "and," said Miss Harbishaw, the postmistress, "to be trusted with untold gold," or, what was much more (departmentally), with unsealed mail bags.

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading All the world (but not his wife--by no means his wife) must needs go in search of Harry Foster and his probable murderer.