used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He paced up and down the room chewing nervously the end of an unlit cigar.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
next to; at the side of
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
chewingnounUS /ˈtʃuːɪŋ/
biting and grinding food in your mouth so it becomes soft enough to swallow
From this reading He paced up and down the room chewing nervously the end of an unlit cigar.
cigarnounUS /sɪˈɡɑːr/
a roll of tobacco for smoking
From this reading He paced up and down the room chewing nervously the end of an unlit cigar.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading The second-hand ticked its way jerkily round and round the circle.
ClaynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
debtnounUS /det/
the state of owing something (especially money)
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He paced up and down the room chewing nervously the end of an unlit cigar.
Durand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading He paced up and down the room chewing nervously the end of an unlit cigar.
an opposing military force
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
apart from; not including
From this reading Except for that the stillness weighed on him unbearably.
past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
INTOprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The second-hand ticked its way jerkily round and round the circle.
jerkilyadverb
with spasms
From this reading The second-hand ticked its way jerkily round and round the circle.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
LindsaynounUS /ˈlɪndzi/
United States playwright who collaborated with Russel Crouse on several musicals (1889-1931)
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
nervouslyadverbUS /ˈnɜːrvəsli/
in an anxiously nervous manner
From this reading He paced up and down the room chewing nervously the end of an unlit cigar.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
owedverbUS /oʊd/
past form of “owe” — be obliged to pay or repay
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
pacedverbUS /peɪst/
past form of “pace” — walk with slow or fast paces
From this reading He paced up and down the room chewing nervously the end of an unlit cigar.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He paced up and down the room chewing nervously the end of an unlit cigar.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading The second-hand ticked its way jerkily round and round the circle.
second-hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The second-hand ticked its way jerkily round and round the circle.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading Except for that the stillness weighed on him unbearably.
telephonenounUS /ˈteləfoʊn/
electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
tickedverbUS /tɪkt/
past form of “tick” — make a clicking or ticking sound
From this reading The second-hand ticked its way jerkily round and round the circle.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
unbearablyadverbUS /ənˈberəbli/
to an unbearable degree
From this reading Except for that the stillness weighed on him unbearably.
unlitadjective
not set afire or burning
From this reading He paced up and down the room chewing nervously the end of an unlit cigar.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He paced up and down the room chewing nervously the end of an unlit cigar.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
look attentively
From this reading A telephone lay on the desk close at hand and beside it was a watch.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The second-hand ticked its way jerkily round and round the circle.
weighedverbUS /weɪd/
past form of “weigh” — have a certain weight
From this reading Except for that the stillness weighed on him unbearably.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMY Durand waited alone for word to be flashed him that the debt he owed Clay Lindsay had been settled in full.
