Chapter IX

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading And now he had to give an answer within a few days.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading And now he had to give an answer within a few days.

react verbally

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.

-ing form of “attempt” — make an effort or attempt

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading And now he had to give an answer within a few days.

be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.

the act of escaping physically

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading And now he had to give an answer within a few days.

a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

set up or found

From this reading He found Overton in his library.

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading And now he had to give an answer within a few days.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.

moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

immediately past

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

a room where books are kept

From this reading He found Overton in his library.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

many times at short intervals

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

and nothing more

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He found Overton in his library.

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.

the act of procrastinating; putting off or delaying or defering an action to a later time

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

the possibility of future success

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

cut with a saw

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.

meant or adapted for an occasion or use

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

a criminal who takes property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Procrastination is the thief of more than time;--it is only too often the thief of opportunity.

precisely as stated

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

desired or wished for or sought

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

which person or people

From this reading Vickers, who knew very well that he might have made his escape any time in the course of the last month, if only he had been sure he wanted to, now saw before him the prospect of making a more hurried flight than suited his purpose.

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading And now he had to give an answer within a few days.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading He had allowed himself to drift, had asked how the present situation was to end, without attempting any answer.