used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
react verbally
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
in a state of sleep
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
blindingadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading That kind of thing kept happening to detectives in books.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
an occurrence of something
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
cluesnounUS /kluːz/
plural of “clue” — a slight indication
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
detectivesnounUS /dɪˈtektɪvz/
plural of “detective” — a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading That kind of thing kept happening to detectives in books.
doomverbUS /duːm/
decree or designate beforehand
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
the activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to keep fit
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
happeningnounUS /ˈhæpənɪŋ/
an event that happens
From this reading That kind of thing kept happening to detectives in books.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That kind of thing kept happening to detectives in books.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
and nothing more
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading That kind of thing kept happening to detectives in books.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading That kind of thing kept happening to detectives in books.
MalonenounUS /məˈloʊn/
English scholar remembered for his chronology of Shakespeare's plays and his editions of Shakespeare and Dryden (1741-1812)
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
provideverbUS /prəˈvaɪd/
give something useful or necessary to
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
sidleverbUS /ˈsaɪdəl/
move unobtrusively or furtively
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
move stealthily
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
snakenounUS /sneɪk/
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
solveverbUS /sɑːlv/
find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
a person, without saying who
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
stimulateverbUS /ˈstɪmjəleɪt/
act as a stimulant
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Or else he would go and beat somebody up, and the exercise would stimulate his brain and he would suddenly arrive at the answer in a blinding flash.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
a special situation
From this reading That kind of thing kept happening to detectives in books.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That kind of thing kept happening to detectives in books.
trenchcoat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Or else a strange man in a black trenchcoat would sidle up to him and hand him a slip of paper.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
look attentively
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
the words that are spoken
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was always possible, of course, Malone thought, that he would fall asleep and dream of an answer.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading The words: “Five o’clock, watch out, the red snake, doom,” would be written on the paper and these words would provide him with just the clues he needed to solve the whole case.
