used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
assistantsnounUS /əˈsɪstənts/
plural of “assistant” — a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
baseballnounUS /ˈbeɪsˈbɔːl/
a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
BentonnounUS /ˈbentən/
United States artist whose paintings portrayed life in the Midwest and South (1889-1975)
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
BradynounUS /ˈbreɪdi/
United States pioneer photographer famous for his portraits; was the official Union photographer for the American Civil War (1823-1896)
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
debateverbUS /dəˈbeɪt/
argue with one another
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
someone who is a detective
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
Elihu
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
regard something as probable or likely
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
franklyadverbUS /ˈfræŋkli/
(used as intensives reflecting the speaker's attitude) it is sincerely the case that
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
only a very short time before
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
HargreavesnounUS /ˈhɑːrɡriːvz/
English inventor of the spinning jenny (1720-1778)
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
inspectionnounUS /ˌɪnˈspekʃən/
a formal or official examination
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
Jim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
juniorsnounUS /ˈdʒuːnjərz/
plural of “junior” — term of address for a disrespectful and annoying male
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
Merriwell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
oarsmen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
Phillips
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
PICKINGnounUS /ˈpɪkɪŋ/
the quantity of a crop that is harvested
From this reading PICKING UP THE TRAIL.
playersnounUS /ˈpleɪərz/
plural of “player” — a person who participates in or is skilled at some game
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
any competition
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
suspicionsnounUS /səˈspɪʃənz/
plural of “suspicion” — an impression that something might be the case
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PICKING UP THE TRAIL.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
to-night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading PICKING UP THE TRAIL.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading PICKING UP THE TRAIL.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
we're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I don’t know what we’re looking for,” he said, as they started out, “and, frankly, I hardly expect to find it to-night.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading That night, after the oarsmen had returned, Dick Merriwell made an inspection of the whole course of the race.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
YalenounUS /jeɪl/
a university in Connecticut
From this reading In the _Elihu Yale_ with him were the two assistants, Benton and Hargreaves, and Jim Phillips and Bill Brady.
but in spite of that
From this reading Dick, after a little debate, had told the two baseball players, now become juniors, of what had happened, and of his suspicions, vague as yet, but well fixed in his mind.
