used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
amazingadjectiveUS /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/
surprising greatly
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
apoplecticadjectiveUS /ˌæpəˈplektɪk/
pertaining to or characteristic of apoplexy
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
Attymar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
chiefsnounUS /tʃiːfs/
plural of “chief” — a person who is in charge
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
cordonnounUS /ˈkɔːrdən/
a series of sentinels or of military posts enclosing or guarding some place or thing
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
detailnounUS /dɪˈteɪl/
an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
detectivesnounUS /dɪˈtektɪvz/
plural of “detective” — a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
elaborateadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæbrət/
marked by complexity and richness of detail
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
apart from; not including
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
fadingnounUS /ˈfeɪdɪŋ/
weakening in force or intensity
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
fifty-thousand-to-one-against
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
genesisnounUS /ˈdʒenəsəs/
a coming into being
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
come to pass
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
inquiriesnounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪəriz/
plural of “inquiry” — a search for knowledge
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
materializedverbUS /məˈtɪriəlaɪzd/
past form of “materialize” — come into being; become reality
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
the force of workers available
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
wrong in e.g. opinion or judgment
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
used to form the superlative
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
kill intentionally and with premeditation
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
oddestadjectiveUS /ˈɑːdəst/
superlative of “odd” — not divisible by two
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
and nothing more
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
the force of policemen and officers
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
rarelyadverbUS /ˈrerli/
not often
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
Reeder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; located on the northern part of the island of Great Britain; famous for bagpipes and plaids and kilts
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
a person, without saying who
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
an impression that something might be the case
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading “The inquiries I made showed me that Attymar was never seen in daylight, except by his crew, and then only in the fading light.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading A man wanted by the police on a charge of murder had walked through a most elaborate cordon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
waterwaynounUS /ˈwɔːtərweɪ/
a navigable body of water
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
whereforeadverbUS /werˈfɔːr/
an old word meaning “why” or “for that reason”
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
an old and formal word for “while”
From this reading Whilst Reeder was waiting at Scotland Yard he explained in greater detail the genesis of his suspicion.
which person or people
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading One of those amazing things which so rarely happen, that fifty-thousand-to-one-against chance, had materialized, and the high chiefs of Scotland Yard grew apoplectic as they asked the why and the wherefore.
but in spite of that
From this reading River police had shut off the waterway; detectives and uniform men had formed a circle through which it was impossible to escape; yet the wanted man had, by the oddest chance, passed between two detectives who had mistaken him for somebody they knew.
