used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "Things are about the same," he heard Gibson reply.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
any thing at all
From this reading "I can't see how anything can happen now to beat us."
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Things are about the same," he heard Gibson reply.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Well, what's new?" he heard a voice he knew to be Cummings' ask.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Well, what's new?" he heard a voice he knew to be Cummings' ask.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading "I can't see how anything can happen now to beat us."
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "I can't see how anything can happen now to beat us."
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I can't see how anything can happen now to beat us."
without doubt or question
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
conspiratorsnounUS /kənˈspɪrətərz/
plural of “conspirator” — a member of a conspiracy
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
CummingsnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋz/
United States writer noted for his typographically eccentric poetry (1894-1962)
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
GibsonnounUS /ˈɡɪbsən/
United States illustrator remembered for his creation of the “Gibson girl” (1867-1944)
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
Gink
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
come to pass
From this reading "I can't see how anything can happen now to beat us."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I can't see how anything can happen now to beat us."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I can't see how anything can happen now to beat us."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
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 "Well, what's new?" he heard a voice he knew to be Cummings' ask.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading "Well, what's new?" he heard a voice he knew to be Cummings' ask.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "I can't see how anything can happen now to beat us."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
overheardverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhɜːrd/
inflected form of “overhear” — hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading "Things are about the same," he heard Gibson reply.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
Identical; not different.
From this reading "Things are about the same," he heard Gibson reply.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "I can't see how anything can happen now to beat us."
shorthandnounUS /ˈʃɔːrthænd/
a method of writing rapidly using an abbreviated symbolic system
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
in the near future
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
telephonenounUS /ˈteləfoʊn/
electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading "Things are about the same," he heard Gibson reply.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Well, what's new?" he heard a voice he knew to be Cummings' ask.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I can't see how anything can happen now to beat us."
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "Well, what's new?" he heard a voice he knew to be Cummings' ask.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As clearly and distinctly as though he was at a telephone John heard the voices of "Gink" Cummings and Gibson in the room above him.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, what's new?" he heard a voice he knew to be Cummings' ask.
what's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, what's new?" he heard a voice he knew to be Cummings' ask.
the act of creating written works
From this reading Smith began writing his shorthand record of the conversation they overheard as soon as the conspirators began talking.
