used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
ACCUSATIONnounUS /ˌækjəˈzeɪʃən/
a formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt
From this reading THE ACCUSATION.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
eagerly desirous
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading At the same time a little frown appeared on his usually placid face.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the same time a little frown appeared on his usually placid face.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Rod did not lose his self-possession.
divisible by two
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
frownverbUS /fraʊn/
look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading At the same time a little frown appeared on his usually placid face.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
JoshverbUS /dʒɑːʃ/
be silly or tease one another
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading At the same time a little frown appeared on his usually placid face.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading Rod did not lose his self-possession.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Rod did not lose his self-possession.
many times at short intervals
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading At the same time a little frown appeared on his usually placid face.
placidadjectiveUS /ˈplæsəd/
(of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves
From this reading At the same time a little frown appeared on his usually placid face.
RodnounUS /rɑːd/
a long thin implement made of metal or wood
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
Identical; not different.
From this reading At the same time a little frown appeared on his usually placid face.
self-possessionnoun
the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior
From this reading Rod did not lose his self-possession.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
shriftnounUS /ʃrɪft/
the act of being shriven
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
soberedverbUS /ˈsoʊbərd/
past form of “sober” — cause to become sober
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
spyverbUS /spaɪ/
catch sight of
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
startlingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋ/
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ACCUSATION.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
a special situation
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading At the same time a little frown appeared on his usually placid face.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod.
under normal conditions
From this reading At the same time a little frown appeared on his usually placid face.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
at the time that
From this reading To be taken for a spy was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often followed such a charge.
