used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
arisenverbUS /ərˈɪzən/
inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
on or to one side
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
believernounUS /bəˈliːvər/
a supporter who accepts something as true
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
cigarettenounUS /ˌsɪɡərˈet/
finely ground tobacco wrapped in paper; for smoking
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
cluenounUS /kluː/
a slight indication
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
debtsnounUS /dets/
plural of “debt” — the state of owing something (especially money)
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/
past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading The figures stood as the Colonel had written them; so the mistake lay with the usurer, if it was really a mistake.
fivesnounUS /faɪvz/
a game resembling handball; played on a court with a front wall and two side walls
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The figures stood as the Colonel had written them; so the mistake lay with the usurer, if it was really a mistake.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
immediately past
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
give or make a list of; name individually; give the names of
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
provided with artificial light
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
meditated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
not able to be found
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading The figures stood as the Colonel had written them; so the mistake lay with the usurer, if it was really a mistake.
not any; not one
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
a brief written record
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
plural of “note” — a brief written record
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
not divisible by two
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
and nothing more
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
peculiaritynounUS /pɪˌkjuːliˈerəti/
an odd or unusual characteristic
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
persistencynoun
persistent determination
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
established beyond doubt
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
Raby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading The figures stood as the Colonel had written them; so the mistake lay with the usurer, if it was really a mistake.
rupeesnounUS /ruːˈpiːz/
plural of “rupee” — the basic unit of money in Sri Lanka; equal to 100 cents
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
scenerynounUS /ˈsiːnəri/
the painted structures of a stage set that are intended to suggest a particular locale
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
plural of “sens” — street names for marijuana
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The figures stood as the Colonel had written them; so the mistake lay with the usurer, if it was really a mistake.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The figures stood as the Colonel had written them; so the mistake lay with the usurer, if it was really a mistake.
StuartnounUS /ˈstuːərt/
United States painter best known for his portraits of George Washington (1755-1828)
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
tacklenounUS /ˈtækəl/
the person who plays that position on a football team
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The figures stood as the Colonel had written them; so the mistake lay with the usurer, if it was really a mistake.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
threesnounUS /θriːz/
plural of “three” — the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading John Raby lit a cigarette and meditated, with the list before him; but beyond an odd persistency in threes and fives, the figures presented no peculiarity.
up to a particular time
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
uncertaintynounUS /ənˈsɜːrtənti/
being unsettled or in doubt or dependent on chance
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
usurernoun
someone who lends money at excessive rates of interest
From this reading The figures stood as the Colonel had written them; so the mistake lay with the usurer, if it was really a mistake.
precisely as stated
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The figures stood as the Colonel had written them; so the mistake lay with the usurer, if it was really a mistake.
in or at the place that
From this reading So he set the problem aside till he could tackle it on the spot where it had arisen; for he was a great believer in scenery as an aid to the senses.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The clue spoken of by John Raby lay in the note for a thousand rupees with which Colonel Stuart had paid a portion of his card debts during his last deal in the great game.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It proved to be not only one of the missing notes, but, as luck would have it, the very one about the number of which uncertainty existed.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading The figures stood as the Colonel had written them; so the mistake lay with the usurer, if it was really a mistake.
