used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
AREauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
a container that is usually woven and has handles
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading He put this between his teeth and tore the rest into pieces.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
cigarnounUS /sɪˈɡɑːr/
a roll of tobacco for smoking
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
containingverbUS /kənˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
despatchverb
send away towards a designated goal
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
dexterouslyadverb
with dexterity; in a dexterous manner
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
drawernounUS /drɔːr/
a boxlike container in a piece of furniture; made so as to slide in and out
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
past form of “fold” — bend or lay so that one part covers the other
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
set up or found
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He put this between his teeth and tore the rest into pieces.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
and nothing more
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
set down according to a plan
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
a person who carries a message
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
moment'snounUS /ˈmoʊmənts/
possessive form of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole
From this reading He put this between his teeth and tore the rest into pieces.
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He put this between his teeth and tore the rest into pieces.
a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading He put this between his teeth and tore the rest into pieces.
scissorsnounUS /ˈsɪzərz/
an edge tool having two crossed pivoting blades
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
Secretary'snounUS /ˈsekrəteriz/
possessive form of “secretary” — a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
signaturenounUS /ˈsɪɡnətʃər/
your name written in your own handwriting
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
in the near future
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
stuffedadjectiveUS /stʌft/
filled with something
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
TABLESnounUS /ˈteɪbəlz/
plural of “table” — a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading He put this between his teeth and tore the rest into pieces.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He put this between his teeth and tore the rest into pieces.
Thorne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
propel through the air
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
From this reading He put this between his teeth and tore the rest into pieces.
trousernounUS /ˈtraʊzər/
a garment (or part of a garment) designed for or relating to trousers
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
precisely as stated
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE TABLES ARE TURNED As soon as the door was closed behind the messenger Thorne laid his cigar down on the table.
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading He started to throw the pieces into the waste basket but after a moment’s reflection he stuffed them into his trouser pocket.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Then he picked up the despatch from the Secretary of War which the messenger had just brought in, and folded it very dexterously.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Then with a pair of scissors which he found in a drawer he cut off the lower part of the Secretary’s despatch containing his signature.
