used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DETECTIVE'S WORK Morning.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
anew
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
Anitra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Some one had been there before them.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading Ransom's room was empty; he was in the sitting-room below, closeted with the lawyer.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
closetedverbUS /ˈklɑːzətɪd/
past form of “closet” — confine to a small space, as for intensive work
From this reading Ransom's room was empty; he was in the sitting-room below, closeted with the lawyer.
DETECTIVE'SnounUS /dɪˈtektɪvz/
possessive form of “detective” — a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading A DETECTIVE'S WORK Morning.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading Ransom's room was empty; he was in the sitting-room below, closeted with the lawyer.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
the organ of sight
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Ransom's room was empty; he was in the sitting-room below, closeted with the lawyer.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
intense and profound fear
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
a social unit living together
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice
From this reading Ransom's room was empty; he was in the sitting-room below, closeted with the lawyer.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
a female domestic
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading A DETECTIVE'S WORK Morning.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
and nothing more
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
affix in a public place or for public notice
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
Ransom'snounUS /ˈrænsəmz/
possessive form of “ransom” — money demanded for the return of a captured person
From this reading Ransom's room was empty; he was in the sitting-room below, closeted with the lawyer.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Ransom's room was empty; he was in the sitting-room below, closeted with the lawyer.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
sitting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ransom's room was empty; he was in the sitting-room below, closeted with the lawyer.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some one had been there before them.
not in physical motion
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
suspensenounUS /səˈspens/
apprehension about what is going to happen
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
tasksnounUS /tæsks/
plural of “task” — any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Some one had been there before them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Some one had been there before them.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
unrelievedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnriˈliːvd/
not lessened or diminished
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
the topmost one of two
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The living household was about its tasks for all the horror of the night before, and the still unrelieved suspense as to the fate of one of its members.
look attentively
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
which person or people
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The maid, who had sat on watch in the upper hall for so many hours the evening before, was again at her post, but this time with her eye fixed only on one door, the door behind which slept the exhausted Anitra.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading A DETECTIVE'S WORK Morning.
