used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
declared publicly; made widely known
From this reading He lay the book flat on his chest as the soft click of the opening door announced the coming of his retainer.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He lay the book flat on his chest as the soft click of the opening door announced the coming of his retainer.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
balancedadjectiveUS /ˈbælənst/
being in a state of proper equilibrium
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This private matter was wholly unprofitable, but his curiosity had been piqued.
an occurrence of something
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
ChinesenounUS /tʃaɪˈniːz/
any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
cigarette-holder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
clickverbUS /klɪk/
move or strike with a noise
From this reading He lay the book flat on his chest as the soft click of the opening door announced the coming of his retainer.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading He lay the book flat on his chest as the soft click of the opening door announced the coming of his retainer.
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading This private matter was wholly unprofitable, but his curiosity had been piqued.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He lay the book flat on his chest as the soft click of the opening door announced the coming of his retainer.
being one more than seven
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading He lay the book flat on his chest as the soft click of the opening door announced the coming of his retainer.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
fraudnounUS /frɔːd/
intentional deception resulting in injury to another person
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
gaolnoun
a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
a small worthless amount
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading This private matter was wholly unprofitable, but his curiosity had been piqued.
metaphysicsnounUS /ˌmetəˈfɪzɪks/
the philosophical study of being and knowing
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
kill intentionally and with premeditation
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
held or filled or in use
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading He lay the book flat on his chest as the soft click of the opening door announced the coming of his retainer.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
piquedverbUS /piːkt/
past form of “pique” — cause to feel resentment or indignation
From this reading This private matter was wholly unprofitable, but his curiosity had been piqued.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
releasedverbUS /riˈliːst/
past form of “release” — release, as from one's grip
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
retainernounUS /rɪˈteɪnər/
a fee charged in advance to retain the services of someone
From this reading He lay the book flat on his chest as the soft click of the opening door announced the coming of his retainer.
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading He lay the book flat on his chest as the soft click of the opening door announced the coming of his retainer.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
Tarling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This private matter was wholly unprofitable, but his curiosity had been piqued.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
unprofitableadjectiveUS /ənˈprɑːfɪtəbəl/
producing little or no profit or gain
From this reading This private matter was wholly unprofitable, but his curiosity had been piqued.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The hour was eight o'clock, and it was the day that Sam Stay had been released from gaol.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading This private matter was wholly unprofitable, but his curiosity had been piqued.
in the company of; together with
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading MURDER Jack Tarling lay stretched upon his hard bed, a long cigarette-holder between his teeth, a book on Chinese metaphysics balanced on his chest, at peace with the world.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It had been a busy day for Tarling, for he was engaged in a bank fraud case which would have occupied the whole of his time had he not had a little private business to attend to.
