Chapter XXXVII · Chapter 37

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

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

the state of being absent

From this reading In Mike’s absence things had been going badly with Wrykyn.

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

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

(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 ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

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

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

to a severe or serious degree

From this reading In Mike’s absence things had been going badly with Wrykyn.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

a round vessel that is open at the top; used chiefly for holding food or liquids

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading Since this calamity, wrote Strachan, everything had gone wrong.

the post of captain

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

reduced in size or pulled together

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

leaping insect; male makes chirping noises by rubbing the forewings together

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

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

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

marked by deprivation especially of the necessities of life or healthful environmental influences

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

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

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

all things; all of a situation

From this reading Since this calamity, wrote Strachan, everything had gone wrong.

plural of “experiment” — the act of conducting a controlled test or investigation

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

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

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

the act of departing

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

destroyed or killed

From this reading Since this calamity, wrote Strachan, everything had gone wrong.

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

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

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

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

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

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

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

ten 10s

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

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

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

plural of “jackson” — English film actress who later became a member of British Parliament (born in 1936)

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

excessively mournful

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

device for converting sound waves into electrical energy

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

possessive form of “mike” — device for converting sound waves into electrical energy

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

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

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

and nothing more

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

in a peaceful manner

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

any red eruption of the skin

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

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

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

plural of “run” — a score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

express in words

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

performance of duties or provision of space and equipment helpful to others

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Since this calamity, wrote Strachan, everything had gone wrong.

very drunk

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

agitating a liquid with an implement

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

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

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

a person who follows next in order

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

a cooperative unit (especially in sports)

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

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

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading In Mike’s absence things had been going badly with Wrykyn.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Since this calamity, wrote Strachan, everything had gone wrong.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading The M.C.C., led by Mike’s brother Reggie, the least of the three first-class-cricketing Jacksons, had smashed them by a hundred and fifty runs.

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

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

not conscious; lacking awareness and the capacity for sensory perception as if asleep or dead

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

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

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

which person or people

From this reading A broken arm, contracted in the course of some rash experiments with a day-boy’s motor-bicycle, had deprived the team of the services of Dunstable, the only man who had shown any signs of being able to bowl a side out.

in the company of; together with

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading Since this calamity, wrote Strachan, everything had gone wrong.

inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading Since this calamity, wrote Strachan, everything had gone wrong.

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

From this reading ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE Mike, all unconscious of the stirring proceedings which had been going on below stairs, was peacefully reading a letter he had received that morning from Strachan at Wrykyn, in which the successor to the cricket captaincy which should have been Mike’s had a good deal to say in a lugubrious strain.