used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
accusationnounUS /ˌækjəˈzeɪʃən/
a formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
accusationsnounUS /ˌækjəˈzeɪʃənz/
plural of “accusation” — a formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
AllennounUS /ˈælən/
United States comedienne remembered as the confused but imperturbable partner of her husband, George Burns (1906-1964)
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
bladenounUS /bleɪd/
especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
chumnounUS /tʃʌm/
a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
conclusionsnounUS /kənˈkluːʒənz/
plural of “conclusion” — a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
start firing a weapon
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
Frank'snounUS /fræŋks/
possessive form of “frank” — a member of the ancient Germanic peoples who spread from the Rhine into the Roman Empire in the 4th century
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
glintverbUS /ɡlɪnt/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
only a very short time before
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
LankyadjectiveUS /ˈlæŋki/
tall and thin and having long slender limbs
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Zat so, young man?
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
policemannounUS /pəˈliːsmən/
a member of a police force
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
with low volume
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
quietnessnounUS /ˈkwaɪətnəs/
the property of making no sound
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
rapiernounUS /ˈreɪpiər/
a straight sword with a narrow blade and two edges
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
on the contrary
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
refrainedverbUS /rɪˈfreɪnd/
past form of “refrain” — resist doing something
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “Zat so, young man?
soberadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊbər/
not affected by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
swishverbUS /swɪʃ/
move with or cause to move with a whistling or hissing sound
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
in or at that place or location
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
thievesnounUS /θiːvz/
plural of “thief” — a criminal who takes property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
in spite of the fact that
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
veiledadjectiveUS /veɪld/
having or as if having a veil or concealing cover
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
at the time that
From this reading WHEN FIRE LIGHTS THE SKY The accusation, hardly to be called veiled, rather startled Frank Allen.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading “We thought you were coming up here to help find the thieves and not to waste time making wild accusations.”
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Lanky, close chum of Frank’s that he was, moved as if to strike the policeman, but refrained on sober second thought, since it would certainly have placed him in a bad light.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You are inclined to jump at conclusions without much thought,” remarked Frank quietly, though in that quietness there was the glint and swish of a rapier blade.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “Zat so, young man?
Zat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Zat so, young man?
