used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
perfect or complete or pure
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
aughtnounUS /ɔːt/
a quantity of no importance
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
terminate
From this reading THE BREAK OF DAWN.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
curbnounUS /kɜːrb/
an edge between a sidewalk and a roadway consisting of a line of curbstones (usually forming part of a gutter)
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
the first light of day
From this reading THE BREAK OF DAWN.
Desfrayne's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
footfallnounUS /ˈfʊtfɔːl/
the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
Gilardoni
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
inactionnounUS /ˌɪˈnækʃən/
the state of being inactive
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
keenlyadverbUS /ˈkiːnli/
in a keen or penetrating way
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
master'snounUS /ˈmæstərz/
possessive form of “master” — an artist of consummate skill
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
under a moral obligation to do something
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE BREAK OF DAWN.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
perforceadverbUS /pərˈfɔːrs/
by necessity; by force of circumstance
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
a future prospect or potential
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
questnounUS /kwest/
a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
Identical; not different.
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
try to get or reach
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
strainedadjectiveUS /streɪnd/
lacking natural ease
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
express in words
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BREAK OF DAWN.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
watchfulnessnoun
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading He was perforce obliged to remain in Captain Desfrayne’s rooms in absolute inaction, listening with keenly strained watchfulness to every sound, every footfall of man or beast.
(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 Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was with difficulty Gilardoni could curb his impatient desire for his master’s return.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading But he was absolutely a stranger in this part of the world, and for aught he could tell, his master might be the same.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Could he by any possibility have imagined in which direction to seek for him, he would have started off in quest before the storm was well exhausted.
