used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
absorbingadjectiveUS /əbˈzɔːrbɪŋ/
capable of arousing and holding the attention
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
tending to become more severe or wider in scope
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
(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 At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
Angria's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
towards the shore from the water
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
besettingverbUS /bɪˈsetɪŋ/
inflected form of “beset” — annoy continually or chronically
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But how stood the chances of escape by sea?
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
canvassedverbUS /ˈkænvəst/
past form of “canvass” — get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
plural of “chance” — a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading But how stood the chances of escape by sea?
confinedadjectiveUS /kənˈfaɪnd/
not invading healthy tissue
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
without variation or change, in every case
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
Desmond
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
discomfortnounUS /dɪˈskʌmfərt/
the state of being tense and feeling pain
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
dismissverbUS /dɪˈsmɪs/
bar from attention or consideration
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
eludeverbUS /ɪˈluːd/
escape, either physically or mentally
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
EnglishmannounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃmən/
a man who is a native or inhabitant of England
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
divisible by two
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
set up or found
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
characteristic of or befitting a friend
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
gallivat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
grabverbUS /ɡræb/
take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
impracticableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpræktɪkəbəl/
not capable of being carried out or put into practice
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
mooted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
held or filled or in use
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
many times at short intervals
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
and nothing more
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
go across or through
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
perilsnounUS /ˈperəlz/
plural of “peril” — a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
possibilitiesnounUS /ˌpɑːsəˈbɪlətiz/
plural of “possibility” — a future prospect or potential
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
recurredverbUS /riˈkɜːrd/
inflected form of “recur” — happen or occur again
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
regainverbUS /rɪˈɡeɪn/
get or find back; recover the use of
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading But how stood the chances of escape by sea?
sentriesnounUS /ˈsentriz/
plural of “sentry” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
sleeplessadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpləs/
experiencing or accompanied by sleeplessness
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
solutionnounUS /səˈluːʃən/
a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently (but not necessarily) a liquid solution
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading But how stood the chances of escape by sea?
stowverbUS /stoʊ/
fill by packing tightly
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
strivingnounUS /ˈstraɪvɪŋ/
an effortful attempt to attain a goal
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
swimverbUS /swɪm/
travel through water
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
territorynounUS /ˈterɪtɔːri/
a region marked off for administrative or other purposes
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading Could he stow himself on board a grab or gallivat, and try to swim ashore when near some friendly port?
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
vigilancenounUS /ˈvɪdʒələns/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He had already canvassed the possibilities of escape by land, only to dismiss the idea as utterly impracticable; for even could he elude the vigilance of the sentries he could not pass as a native, and the perils besetting an Englishman were not confined to Angria’s territory.
at the time that
From this reading At all hours of the day, and often when he lay in sleepless discomfort at night, his active mind recurred to the one absorbing matter: how to regain his freedom.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Now that the subject which constantly occupied his thoughts had been mooted, Desmond found himself more eagerly striving to find a solution of the problem presented by the idea of escape.
