used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Ned was in an apartment across the hall from them.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Ned was in an apartment across the hall from them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
From this reading Ned was in an apartment across the hall from them.
AROUSEDadjectiveUS /ərˈaʊzd/
aroused to action
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
conversingverbUS /kənˈvɜːrsɪŋ/
-ing form of “converse” — carry on a conversation
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading They had shut the door leading from the hall to the room where they were.
downstairsadverbUS /ˈdaʊnˈsterz/
on a floor below
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
one or the other of two
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Ned was in an apartment across the hall from them.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Ned was in an apartment across the hall from them.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading They had shut the door leading from the hall to the room where they were.
the force of workers available
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
Ned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ned was in an apartment across the hall from them.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
remoteadjectiveUS /rɪˈmoʊt/
located far away spatially
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading They had shut the door leading from the hall to the room where they were.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
SUSPICIONSnounUS /səˈspɪʃənz/
plural of “suspicion” — an impression that something might be the case
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Ned was in an apartment across the hall from them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had shut the door leading from the hall to the room where they were.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
tiptoedverbUS /ˈtɪptoʊd/
past form of “tiptoe” — walk on one's toes
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had shut the door leading from the hall to the room where they were.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading SUSPICIONS AROUSED The voices of the men had sounded from a front room downstairs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Ned was in an apartment across the hall from them.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They had shut the door leading from the hall to the room where they were.
in or at the place that
From this reading They had shut the door leading from the hall to the room where they were.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading This gave Ned a chance to come out of the apartment into which he had been taken and he tiptoed to the closed door to see if he could hear any more.
whispersnounUS /ˈwɪspərz/
plural of “whisper” — speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading But either the men were conversing in whispers or they had moved back to some remote corner where their voices could not be heard.
