used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
highly skilled
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
arrestverbUS /ərˈest/
take into custody
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading She had a book on her lap, but she was not reading.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She had a book on her lap, but she was not reading.
chaperonnoun
one who accompanies and supervises a young woman or gatherings of young people
From this reading Her nurse and chaperon was sewing in her room.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
DiananounUS /daɪˈænə/
English aristocrat who was the first wife of Prince Charles; her death in an automobile accident in Paris produced intense national mourning (1961-1997)
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
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 At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading She had a book on her lap, but she was not reading.
Larry's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
fasten with a lock
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
a particular point in time
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She had a book on her lap, but she was not reading.
try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
From this reading Her nurse and chaperon was sewing in her room.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She had a book on her lap, but she was not reading.
and nothing more
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
processesnounUS /ˈprɑːsesəz/
plural of “process” — a particular course of action intended to achieve a result
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading She had a book on her lap, but she was not reading.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Her nurse and chaperon was sewing in her room.
sewingnounUS /ˈsoʊɪŋ/
joining or attaching by stitches
From this reading Her nurse and chaperon was sewing in her room.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
sternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
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 At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Diana had gone home--it was queer how in a few days she had come to regard Larry’s flat as her home--before dinner.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At any moment she expected the telephone bell to ring and to hear Larry’s voice telling her that the brothers were under lock and key.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Her work was done, and there remained only the stern, grim processes of arrest to be accomplished.
