used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
attendantnounUS /əˈtendənt/
someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
babbleverbUS /ˈbæbəl/
utter meaningless sounds, like a baby, or utter in an incoherent way
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
bewilderingverbUS /bɪˈwɪldərɪŋ/
-ing form of “bewilder” — be a mystery or bewildering to
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading This was the tune, correct enough; then came its variations.
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
caulkingnounUS /ˈkɔːkɪŋ/
a waterproof filler and sealant that is used in building and repair to make watertight
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
containingverbUS /kənˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
corpsenounUS /kɔːrps/
the dead body of a human being
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
make right or correct
From this reading This was the tune, correct enough; then came its variations.
departverbUS /dɪˈpɑːrt/
move away from a place into another direction
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
although something is true; in spite of
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
distortingverbUS /dɪˈstɔːrtɪŋ/
-ing form of “distort” — make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or story
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading This was the tune, correct enough; then came its variations.
to come or go into
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
gossipsnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəps/
plural of “gossip” — light informal conversation for social occasions
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
half-truths
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
hurdy-gurdynoun
a stringed instrument that produces sounds by means of a wheel that rubs against the strings
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
illegaladjectiveUS /ˌɪˈliːɡəl/
prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading This was the tune, correct enough; then came its variations.
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
Jim's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
Kaimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
kidnappedverbUS /ˈkɪdnæpt/
inflected form of “kidnap” — take away to an undisclosed location against their will and usually in order to extract a ransom
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
Leah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
leakedverbUS /liːkt/
past form of “leak” — tell anonymously
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
marvellousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrvələs/
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
medicaladjectiveUS /ˈmedəkəl/
relating to the study or practice of medicine
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
melodynounUS /ˈmelədi/
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
information about recent and important events
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
plural of “note” — a brief written record
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
coated with paint
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
plottedadjectiveUS /ˈplɑːtɪd/
with planning and intention
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
recognisedadjectiveUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/
provided with a secure reputation
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
RumournounUS /ˈruːmər/
gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
get by special effort
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
strictlyadverbUS /ˈstrɪktli/
restricted to something
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
substitutingnounUS /ˈsʌbstɪtuːtɪŋ/
working as a substitute for someone who is ill or on leave of absence
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
supplantverbUS /səˈplænt/
take the place or move into the position of
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
themenounUS /θiːm/
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was the tune, correct enough; then came its variations.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
tonguesnounUS /tʌŋz/
plural of “tongue” — a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
tunenounUS /tuːn/
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
From this reading This was the tune, correct enough; then came its variations.
twiddles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
twistsnounUS /twɪsts/
plural of “twist” — an unforeseen development
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
variationsnounUS /ˌveriˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “variation” — an instance of change; the rate or magnitude of change
From this reading This was the tune, correct enough; then came its variations.
vesselsnounUS /ˈvesəlz/
plural of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was the tune, correct enough; then came its variations.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
which person or people
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading In some marvellous way the news leaked out, as news will, despite careful caulking of the human vessels containing it.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading Lord James Kaimes, ran the babble, had been kidnapped by his medical attendant, who, substituting an illegal corpse for that of the husband he wished to supplant, had plotted to secure the wife.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Then did "Rumour, painted full of tongues," enter into Lady Jim's strictly private life and depart with half-truths for the bewildering of gossips.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The hurdy-gurdy of society ground out wonderful twiddles and twists of false notes, distorting the original theme into a melody Leah herself would not have recognised.
