used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I figured that he must be a sort of detective.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Not at all like the detectives that I had read about in stories.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Not at all like the detectives that I had read about in stories.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Still, I considered, in the course of my thoughts, he was a queer-looking and a queer-acting detective.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Not at all like the detectives that I had read about in stories.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I figured that he must be a sort of detective.
for the reason that
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
carefully weighed
From this reading Still, I considered, in the course of my thoughts, he was a queer-looking and a queer-acting detective.
contactnounUS /ˈkɑːntækt/
close interaction
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Still, I considered, in the course of my thoughts, he was a queer-looking and a queer-acting detective.
DEEPENSverbUS /ˈdiːpənz/
third-person singular of “deepen” — make more intense, stronger, or more marked
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading I figured that he must be a sort of detective.
detectivesnounUS /dɪˈtektɪvz/
plural of “detective” — a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading Not at all like the detectives that I had read about in stories.
at any time
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
figuredadjectiveUS /ˈfɪɡjərd/
(of e.g. fabric design) adorned with patterns
From this reading I figured that he must be a sort of detective.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For instance, there was his shabby old horse.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For instance, there was his shabby old horse.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading For instance, there was his shabby old horse.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
an occurrence of something
From this reading For instance, there was his shabby old horse.
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Not at all like the detectives that I had read about in stories.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I figured that he must be a sort of detective.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Still, I considered, in the course of my thoughts, he was a queer-looking and a queer-acting detective.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not at all like the detectives that I had read about in stories.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I figured that he must be a sort of detective.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading For instance, there was his shabby old horse.
queer-acting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still, I considered, in the course of my thoughts, he was a queer-looking and a queer-acting detective.
queer-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still, I considered, in the course of my thoughts, he was a queer-looking and a queer-acting detective.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading Not at all like the detectives that I had read about in stories.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading For instance, there was his shabby old horse.
soapnounUS /soʊp/
a cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading I figured that he must be a sort of detective.
spyverbUS /spaɪ/
catch sight of
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
not in physical motion
From this reading Still, I considered, in the course of my thoughts, he was a queer-looking and a queer-acting detective.
plural of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Not at all like the detectives that I had read about in stories.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
in or at that place or location
From this reading For instance, there was his shabby old horse.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Still, I considered, in the course of my thoughts, he was a queer-looking and a queer-acting detective.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS The soap man was interesting to me because he was the first spy that I had ever come in contact with.
