used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The detective pointed meaningly at the chessboard, and Carmichael bent over it with an expectant face.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The detective pointed meaningly at the chessboard, and Carmichael bent over it with an expectant face.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading The detective pointed meaningly at the chessboard, and Carmichael bent over it with an expectant face.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
blondenounUS /blɑːnd/
a person with fair skin and hair
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
Bluetherski
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We will checkmate Bluetherski!" replied the other confidently.
Capperton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
CarmichaelnounUS /ˈkɑːrmaɪkəl/
United States songwriter (1899-1981)
From this reading Suddenly the door opened and Carmichael entered hastily.
checkmatenounUS /ˈtʃekmeɪt/
complete victory
From this reading "It is checkmate!" he said.
chessnounUS /tʃes/
weedy annual native to Europe but widely distributed as a weed especially in wheat
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
chessboardnounUS /ˈtʃesbɔːrd/
a checkerboard used to play chess
From this reading The detective pointed meaningly at the chessboard, and Carmichael bent over it with an expectant face.
confidentlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnfədəntli/
with confidence; in a confident manner
From this reading "We will checkmate Bluetherski!" replied the other confidently.
a female human offspring
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
detectivenounUS /dɪˈtektɪv/
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Suddenly the door opened and Carmichael entered hastily.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading Suddenly the door opened and Carmichael entered hastily.
expectantadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektənt/
marked by eager anticipation
From this reading The detective pointed meaningly at the chessboard, and Carmichael bent over it with an expectant face.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The detective pointed meaningly at the chessboard, and Carmichael bent over it with an expectant face.
the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
widely known and esteemed
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
Felix
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
of concern to or concerning the affairs of other nations (other than your own)
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
a young female
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading Suddenly the door opened and Carmichael entered hastily.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
hemispheres
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It is checkmate!" he said.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The detective pointed meaningly at the chessboard, and Carmichael bent over it with an expectant face.
Madge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
meaningly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The detective pointed meaningly at the chessboard, and Carmichael bent over it with an expectant face.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Suddenly the door opened and Carmichael entered hastily.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading "We will checkmate Bluetherski!" replied the other confidently.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The detective pointed meaningly at the chessboard, and Carmichael bent over it with an expectant face.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
penetratedverbUS /ˈpenətreɪtɪd/
past form of “penetrate” — pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
having a point
From this reading The detective pointed meaningly at the chessboard, and Carmichael bent over it with an expectant face.
the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "We will checkmate Bluetherski!" replied the other confidently.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "It is checkmate!" he said.
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
sleuthnounUS /sluːθ/
a detective who follows a trail
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly the door opened and Carmichael entered hastily.
sympatheticadjectiveUS /ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/
of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
tensenounUS /tens/
a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The eyes of the Foreign Secretary met those of the girl and a sympathetic smile passed between them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We will checkmate Bluetherski!" replied the other confidently.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
belonging to which person
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "We will checkmate Bluetherski!" replied the other confidently.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Felix Capperton, the detective whose fame had penetrated two hemispheres, was playing chess with his daughter Madge, a tall and beautiful blonde.
the words that are spoken
From this reading In a few tense words he explained the situation to the famous sleuth, while Madge Capperton stood silent, pressing her hands to her heart.
