(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
(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 But all these assurances failed to console me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
assurancesnounUS /əˈʃʊrənsɪz/
plural of “assurance” — freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
From this reading But all these assurances failed to console me.
availedverbUS /əˈveɪld/
past form of “avail” — use to one's advantage
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
baselyadverb
in a despicable, ignoble manner
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
exhale hard
From this reading This blow was the finishing one.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But all these assurances failed to console me.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
consoleverbUS /ˈkɑːnsoʊl/
give moral or emotional strength to
From this reading But all these assurances failed to console me.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
reach, make, or come to a decision about something
From this reading This was hard to decide.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading But all these assurances failed to console me.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
finishingnounUS /ˈfɪnɪʃɪŋ/
a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance)
From this reading This blow was the finishing one.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading This was hard to decide.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
intelligence-office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
not caught with the senses or the mind
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading This blow was the finishing one.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
the force of policemen and officers
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
porternounUS /ˈpɔːrtər/
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
robverbUS /rɑːb/
take something away by force or without the consent of the owner
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
plural of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading But all these assurances failed to console me.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was hard to decide.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Had the porter missed me in the crowd? or had he basely availed himself of the accident to rob me?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was hard to decide.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “The good sisters promised that they would have it looked after, and that the police would certainly be able to find that man whom I had engaged near the intelligence-office.
