used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
arm-chair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
assistantnounUS /əˈsɪstənt/
a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
complaintnounUS /kəmˈpleɪnt/
an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
power to direct or determine
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
without deviation
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
plural of “effort” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
divisible by two
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
facingnounUS /ˈfeɪsɪŋ/
a lining applied to the edge of a garment for ornamentation or strengthening
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
plural of “fact” — a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
death of a person
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
honestlyadverbUS /ˈɑːnəstli/
(used as intensives reflecting the speaker's attitude) it is sincerely the case that
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
and nothing more
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
laboratorynounUS /ˈlæbrətɔːri/
a workplace for the conduct of scientific research
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
Laidlaw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
lamentverbUS /ləˈment/
express grief verbally
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
for more time
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
past form of “murmur” — speak softly or indistinctly
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
not any; not one
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
causing physical or psychological pain
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
pallidadjectiveUS /ˈpæləd/
abnormally deficient in color as suggesting physical or emotional distress
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
with low volume
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
responsenounUS /rɪˈspɑːns/
a result
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
without speaking
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
successive (without a break)
From this reading He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading And death came very quietly one day to him, as he was sitting in the arm-chair of the study, directly facing the doors of the laboratory--the doors that no longer opened.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
precisely as stated
From this reading He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
vouchsafed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
(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 He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He went straight forward to the end, knowing well that the end was not very far away.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading He held himself under fine control, facing silently and without complaint the terrible facts he honestly believed himself to have been unfortunate enough to discover.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Even to his intimate friend and assistant, Dr. Laidlaw, he vouchsafed no word of true explanation or lament.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Dr. Laidlaw, by happy chance, was with him at the time, and just able to reach his side in response to the sudden painful efforts for breath; just in time, too, to catch the murmured words that fell from the pallid lips like a message from the other side of the grave.
