used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
matters of personal concern
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
anew
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Over one detail and another the young man was held for nearly forty minutes.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
blandnessnounUS /ˈblændnəs/
the trait of exhibiting no personal embarrassment or concern
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
the process of giving careful thought to something
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
delaysnounUS /dɪˈleɪz/
plural of “delay” — time during which some action is awaited
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
dependsverbUS /dɪˈpendz/
third-person singular of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
detailnounUS /dɪˈteɪl/
an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
From this reading Over one detail and another the young man was held for nearly forty minutes.
detainedverbUS /dɪˈteɪnd/
past form of “detain” — deprive of freedom; take into confinement
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
zealous in devotion or affection
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
diamondsnounUS /ˈdaɪməndz/
plural of “diamond” — a transparent piece of diamond that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
dispatchedverbUS /dɪˈspætʃt/
past form of “dispatch” — send away towards a designated goal
From this reading But the matter of the transfers was not so easily dispatched.
Dounay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading But the matter of the transfers was not so easily dispatched.
employingverbUS /emˈplɔɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “employ” — put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
-ing form of “expect” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
plural of “fear” — an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Over one detail and another the young man was held for nearly forty minutes.
fortyadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrti/
being ten more than thirty
From this reading Over one detail and another the young man was held for nearly forty minutes.
the act of giving
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Over one detail and another the young man was held for nearly forty minutes.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
indicatedverbUS /ˈɪndəkeɪtəd/
past form of “indicate” — be a signal for or a symptom of
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
intervalnounUS /ˈɪntərvəl/
a definite length of time marked off by two instants
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
irritatingadjectiveUS /ˈɪrəteɪtɪŋ/
causing irritation or annoyance
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Over one detail and another the young man was held for nearly forty minutes.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading But the matter of the transfers was not so easily dispatched.
a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Over one detail and another the young man was held for nearly forty minutes.
not any; not one
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But the matter of the transfers was not so easily dispatched.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Over one detail and another the young man was held for nearly forty minutes.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
OverprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Over one detail and another the young man was held for nearly forty minutes.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
pressingnounUS /ˈpresɪŋ/
the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
Rollie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But the matter of the transfers was not so easily dispatched.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
transfersnounUS /trænˈsfɜːrz/
plural of “transfer” — the act of moving something from one location to another
From this reading But the matter of the transfers was not so easily dispatched.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Giving up hope of finding the minister in the bank upon his return, he addressed both his thoughts and his fears to the subject of Miss Dounay and her diamonds.
precisely as stated
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
vexatiousadjectiveUS /vekˈseɪʃəs/
causing irritation or annoyance
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The delays, too, were of that vexatious sort which detained him without employing him; so that most of the irritating interval could be and was devoted to a consideration of his own very private and very pressing affairs.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "That depends on how long before you return," laughed the minister, but the blandness of his expression indicated that he was in no hurry, and Rollie went out expecting to see him again in a few minutes.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Over one detail and another the young man was held for nearly forty minutes.
