used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
abandonedadjectiveUS /əˈbændənd/
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
a proposal for an appropriate course of action
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
matters of personal concern
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
any thing at all
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading "And the very best thing you can do is to stop," was the reply.
confined by bonds
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
terminate
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "And the very best thing you can do is to stop," was the reply.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
conspiratorsnounUS /kənˈspɪrətərz/
plural of “conspirator” — a member of a conspiracy
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
creditornounUS /ˈkredətər/
a person to whom money is owed by a debtor; someone to whom an obligation exists
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
creditorsnounUS /ˈkredɪtərz/
plural of “creditor” — a person to whom money is owed by a debtor; someone to whom an obligation exists
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
recognizable; marked
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
comparative of “deeply” — to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
facetiouslyadverbUS /fəˈsiːʃəsli/
not seriously
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
firma
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
Forde
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
happeningnounUS /ˈhæpənɪŋ/
an event that happens
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
Havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "And the very best thing you can do is to stop," was the reply.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
come together
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
Mortomley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
information about recent and important events
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
a human being
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading RUPERT SPEAKS VERY PLAINLY.
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading "And the very best thing you can do is to stop," was the reply.
RUPERTnounUS /ˈruːpərt/
English leader (born in Germany) of the Royalist forces during the English Civil War (1619-1682)
From this reading RUPERT SPEAKS VERY PLAINLY.
move or cause to move back and forth
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
shrewdadjectiveUS /ʃruːd/
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
slippingadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpɪŋ/
moving as on a slippery surface
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
SPEAKSverbUS /spiːks/
third-person singular of “speak” — express in speech
From this reading RUPERT SPEAKS VERY PLAINLY.
spectaclenounUS /ˈspektəkəl/
something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight)
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading "And the very best thing you can do is to stop," was the reply.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
styledverbUS /staɪld/
past form of “style” — designate by an identifying term
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
terra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
in or at that place or location
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
a special situation
From this reading "And the very best thing you can do is to stop," was the reply.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
not known
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Having made up his mind to place the state of his affairs before his creditors, Mr. Mortomley decided to break the news to Mr. Forde in person.
precisely as stated
From this reading RUPERT SPEAKS VERY PLAINLY.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
Whereupon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
whitheradverbUS /ˈwɪðər/
an old word meaning “to where”
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
which person or people
From this reading This intention, however, was abandoned at the advice of a very shrewd individual who, happening to meet the "conspirators," as he facetiously styled Rupert and his uncle, in the City, stopped to shake hands and inquired if there was "anything fresh."
in the company of; together with
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Whereupon as he happened to be a creditor, and one who had followed with some interest the spectacle of Mortomley slipping off _terra firma_ into hitherto unknown water, which grew deeper and deeper at every effort he made to get out of it, Rupert told him in so many words what they meant to do and whither they were bound.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "And the very best thing you can do is to stop," was the reply.
