used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Who could that somebody have been? and what possible motive could he have had for such a horrible piece of purposeless brutality?
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
(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 That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
amplyadverbUS /ˈæmpli/
to an ample degree or in an ample manner
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
barestadjectiveUS /ˈberəst/
superlative of “bare” — completely unclothed
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
batteredadjectiveUS /ˈbætərd/
damaged by blows or hard usage
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Somebody must have seen the corpse between the time of the murder and the discovery!
brutalitynounUS /bruːˈtæləti/
the trait of extreme cruelty
From this reading Who could that somebody have been? and what possible motive could he have had for such a horrible piece of purposeless brutality?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
plural of “case” — an occurrence of something
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
conclavenounUS /ˈkɑːnkleɪv/
a confidential or secret meeting
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
copsenoun
a dense growth of bushes
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
corpsenounUS /kɔːrps/
the dead body of a human being
From this reading Somebody must have seen the corpse between the time of the murder and the discovery!
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
Dene
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
the act of discovering something
From this reading Somebody must have seen the corpse between the time of the murder and the discovery!
divisible by two
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
plural of “fact” — a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
fathomverbUS /ˈfæðəm/
come to understand
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
formalitiesnounUS /fɔːrˈmælətiz/
a requirement of etiquette or custom
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
to an extraordinary extent or degree
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
Harley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Somebody must have seen the corpse between the time of the murder and the discovery!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
provoking horror
From this reading Who could that somebody have been? and what possible motive could he have had for such a horrible piece of purposeless brutality?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
immediately past
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
mainlyadverbUS /ˈmeɪnli/
for the most part
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
motivenounUS /ˈmoʊtɪv/
the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior
From this reading Who could that somebody have been? and what possible motive could he have had for such a horrible piece of purposeless brutality?
to a great degree or extent
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
kill intentionally and with premeditation
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Somebody must have seen the corpse between the time of the murder and the discovery!
mutilatedadjectiveUS /ˈmjuːtəleɪtəd/
having a part of the body crippled or disabled
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
nerve-worn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
a separate part of a whole
From this reading Who could that somebody have been? and what possible motive could he have had for such a horrible piece of purposeless brutality?
poachernounUS /ˈpoʊtʃər/
someone who hunts or fishes illegally on the property of another
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading Who could that somebody have been? and what possible motive could he have had for such a horrible piece of purposeless brutality?
precautionsnounUS /priˈkɔːʃənz/
plural of “precaution” — a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
purposelessadjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrpəsləs/
not evidencing any purpose or goal
From this reading Who could that somebody have been? and what possible motive could he have had for such a horrible piece of purposeless brutality?
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Somebody must have seen the corpse between the time of the murder and the discovery!
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
a person, without saying who
From this reading Somebody must have seen the corpse between the time of the murder and the discovery!
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
an impression that something might be the case
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Somebody must have seen the corpse between the time of the murder and the discovery!
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
trapsnounUS /træps/
plural of “trap” — a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
a source of difficulty
From this reading The murder itself didn't trouble him greatly; that was over and past now, and he felt sure his precautions had been amply sufficient to protect him even from the barest suspicion; but he couldn't fathom the mystery of that battered and mutilated face!
unanimouslyadverbUS /juːˈnænəməsli/
of one mind; without dissent
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
vicarnounUS /ˈvɪkər/
a Roman Catholic priest who acts for another higher-ranking clergyman
From this reading As for the servants, in solemn conclave in the hall, they had unanimously but one theory to account for all the facts: some poacher or other, for choice Joe Harley, had come across the vicar in the copse, with gun and traps in hand.
German conductor (1876-1962)
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Who could that somebody have been? and what possible motive could he have had for such a horrible piece of purposeless brutality?
at the time that
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
which person or people
From this reading Who could that somebody have been? and what possible motive could he have had for such a horrible piece of purposeless brutality?
in the company of; together with
From this reading That night was mainly taken up with the formalities of all such cases; and when at last Walter Dene went off, tired and nerve-worn, to bed, about midnight, he could not sleep much for thinking of the mystery.
