used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
made known or openly avowed
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
disdainfuladjectiveUS /dɪsˈdeɪnfəl/
expressing extreme contempt
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
enumeratedverbUS /ɪˈnuːməreɪtɪd/
past form of “enumerate” — specify individually
From this reading “First,” enumerated Hanley, “there’s Mrs. Webb’s suggestion of spirits.”
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading “First,” enumerated Hanley, “there’s Mrs. Webb’s suggestion of spirits.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
Hanley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “First,” enumerated Hanley, “there’s Mrs. Webb’s suggestion of spirits.”
Harbison
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
HAUNTEDadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːntɪd/
having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
ignoringverbUS /ˌɪɡˈnɔːrɪŋ/
-ing form of “ignore” — refuse to acknowledge
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
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 “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
let's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
magnetnounUS /ˈmæɡnət/
(physics) a device that attracts iron and produces a magnetic field
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading “First,” enumerated Hanley, “there’s Mrs. Webb’s suggestion of spirits.”
not any; not one
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “First,” enumerated Hanley, “there’s Mrs. Webb’s suggestion of spirits.”
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
precisely, exactly
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
in a serious manner
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading “First,” enumerated Hanley, “there’s Mrs. Webb’s suggestion of spirits.”
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
an idea that is suggested
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
tacklenounUS /ˈtækəl/
the person who plays that position on a football team
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
there's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “First,” enumerated Hanley, “there’s Mrs. Webb’s suggestion of spirits.”
a special situation
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading “Now, see here,—how about turning the key from the outside by means of a very powerful magnet—” “No such thing possible,” Hanley declared.
unlikelinessnoun
the improbability of a specified outcome
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
unlikelyadjectiveUS /ənˈlaɪkli/
not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred
From this reading How _could_ it be done,—no matter how absurd or unlikely the suggestion?”
precisely as stated
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
Webb'snounUS /webz/
possessive form of “webb” — English writer and a central member of the Fabian Society (1858-1943)
From this reading “First,” enumerated Hanley, “there’s Mrs. Webb’s suggestion of spirits.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “It would be hard to beat that for unlikeliness!” said Harbison, speaking very seriously, and entirely ignoring Mrs. Webb’s disdainful expression.
You're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A HAUNTED ROOM “You’re right, man,” declared Harbison; “let’s tackle that problem seriously.
