used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There was little that seemed mysterious about them at the outset.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The mystery developed itself from their after reserve and seclusion.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was little that seemed mysterious about them at the outset.
aroused or activated
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
a condition that accompanies or influences some event or activity
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
commentnounUS /ˈkɑːment/
a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
communitynounUS /kəˈmjuːnəti/
a group of people living in a particular local area
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
represented in words especially with sharpness and detail
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
developedadjectiveUS /dɪˈveləpt/
being changed over time so as to be e.g. stronger or more complete or more useful
From this reading The mystery developed itself from their after reserve and seclusion.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
apart from; not including
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was little that seemed mysterious about them at the outset.
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 A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
of an obscure nature
From this reading There was little that seemed mysterious about them at the outset.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading The mystery developed itself from their after reserve and seclusion.
not any; not one
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
outsetnounUS /ˈaʊtset/
the time at which something is supposed to begin
From this reading There was little that seemed mysterious about them at the outset.
patchedadjectiveUS /pætʃt/
mended usually clumsily by covering a hole with a patch
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
the act of having and controlling property
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
reservenounUS /rɪˈzɜːrv/
formality and propriety of manner
From this reading The mystery developed itself from their after reserve and seclusion.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
roughlyadverbUS /ˈrʌfli/
(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
only a very short time before
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance)
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
seclusionnounUS /sɪˈkluːʒən/
the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others
From this reading The mystery developed itself from their after reserve and seclusion.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading There was little that seemed mysterious about them at the outset.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was little that seemed mysterious about them at the outset.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The mystery developed itself from their after reserve and seclusion.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There was little that seemed mysterious about them at the outset.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was little that seemed mysterious about them at the outset.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
unheraldedadjectiveUS /ənˈherəldɪd/
without warning or announcement
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
uninhabitedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪnˈhæbətɪd/
not having inhabitants; not lived in
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
which person or people
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading There was nothing unusual in the circumstance except that they had appeared suddenly and entirely unheralded; but this in itself would have awakened no special comment.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading A long, uninhabited cabin, a score or so of yards from the mountain road, had been roughly patched up and taken possession of by them.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Scarcely a month before the events described in the opening chapter took place, the stranger and a young woman, who was his companion, had appeared in the community.
