used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
bafflingadjectiveUS /ˈbæfəlɪŋ/
making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Both lock and bolt had been recently oiled.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
boltnounUS /boʊlt/
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Both lock and bolt had been recently oiled.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
set up or found
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
groovenounUS /ɡruːv/
a long narrow furrow cut either by a natural process (such as erosion) or by a tool (as e.g. a groove in a phonograph record)
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
a single distinct event
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
inexplicableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnəkˈsplɪsəbəl/
incapable of being explained or accounted for
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
fasten with a lock
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
a form of address for a man
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
oiledadjectiveUS /ɔɪld/
treated with oil
From this reading Both lock and bolt had been recently oiled.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
recentlyadverbUS /ˈriːsəntli/
in the recent past
From this reading Both lock and bolt had been recently oiled.
Reeder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
scrutinynounUS /ˈskruːtəni/
the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes)
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
without speaking
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
solutionnounUS /səˈluːʃən/
a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently (but not necessarily) a liquid solution
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
not in physical motion
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
unravelverbUS /ənˈrævəl/
become or cause to become undone by separating the fibers or threads of
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
