used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading "But, despite your wishes, the affair will be, must be, investigated.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "First, because it was an unnatural procedure upon such an inadequate motive.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "But, despite your wishes, the affair will be, must be, investigated.
for the reason that
From this reading "First, because it was an unnatural procedure upon such an inadequate motive.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
brother'snounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/
possessive form of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But, despite your wishes, the affair will be, must be, investigated.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
coffinnounUS /ˈkɔːfɪn/
box in which a corpse is buried or cremated
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
desecrateverbUS /dezəˈkreɪt/
violate the sacred character of a place or language
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
although something is true; in spite of
From this reading "But, despite your wishes, the affair will be, must be, investigated.
discussverbUS /dɪˈskʌs/
to consider or examine in speech or writing
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
disposingverbUS /dɪˈspoʊzɪŋ/
-ing form of “dispose” — give, sell, or transfer to another
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "First, because it was an unnatural procedure upon such an inadequate motive.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
only a very short time before
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
imaginaryadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmædʒəneri/
not based on fact; existing only in the imagination
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
improbableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈprɑːbəbəl/
not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
inadequateadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnædəkwət/
lacking the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task
From this reading "First, because it was an unnatural procedure upon such an inadequate motive.
investigatedverbUS /ˌɪnˈvestəɡeɪtəd/
past form of “investigate” — investigate scientifically
From this reading "But, despite your wishes, the affair will be, must be, investigated.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
and nothing more
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
motivenounUS /ˈmoʊtɪv/
the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior
From this reading "First, because it was an unnatural procedure upon such an inadequate motive.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "But, despite your wishes, the affair will be, must be, investigated.
not any; not one
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Why not, pray?"
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading "Why not, pray?"
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading A man might kill his brother, but he would hardly desecrate his brother's coffin merely to prevent a certain form of disposing of the dead."
procedurenounUS /prəˈsiːdʒər/
a particular course of action intended to achieve a result
From this reading "First, because it was an unnatural procedure upon such an inadequate motive.
propositionnounUS /ˌprɑːpəˈzɪʃən/
(logic) a statement that affirms or denies something and is either true or false
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
express in words
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "First, because it was an unnatural procedure upon such an inadequate motive.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "But, despite your wishes, the affair will be, must be, investigated.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
unnaturaladjectiveUS /ənˈnætʃərəl/
not in accordance with or determined by nature; contrary to nature
From this reading "First, because it was an unnatural procedure upon such an inadequate motive.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "First, because it was an unnatural procedure upon such an inadequate motive.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "First, because it was an unnatural procedure upon such an inadequate motive.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why not, pray?"
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "But, despite your wishes, the affair will be, must be, investigated.
plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire
From this reading "But, despite your wishes, the affair will be, must be, investigated.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Now, to discuss your imaginary proposition, I will say that it is so improbable that no one would believe it."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "But, despite your wishes, the affair will be, must be, investigated.
