used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The manager poured out a glass of whisky and soda with a shaking hand.
accusationnounUS /ˌækjəˈzeɪʃən/
a formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
united by being of the same opinion
From this reading “Pretty bad,” agreed the unsympathetic police-officer, “but perhaps it might be worse.”
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “I'm in an awful hole.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The manager poured out a glass of whisky and soda with a shaking hand.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading “I'm in an awful hole.”
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading “Pretty bad,” agreed the unsympathetic police-officer, “but perhaps it might be worse.”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Pretty bad,” agreed the unsympathetic police-officer, “but perhaps it might be worse.”
Beale's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Pretty bad,” agreed the unsympathetic police-officer, “but perhaps it might be worse.”
a person who is in charge
From this reading The Chief Inspector gave the manager no time to collect himself.
collectverbUS /kəˈlekt/
get or gather together
From this reading The Chief Inspector gave the manager no time to collect himself.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The Chief Inspector gave the manager no time to collect himself.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading The manager poured out a glass of whisky and soda with a shaking hand.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The manager poured out a glass of whisky and soda with a shaking hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The Chief Inspector gave the manager no time to collect himself.
an opening into or through something
From this reading “I'm in an awful hole.”
HughesnounUS /hjuːz/
English poet (born in 1930)
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I'm in an awful hole.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “I'm in an awful hole.”
InspectornounUS /ˌɪnˈspektər/
a high ranking police officer
From this reading The Chief Inspector gave the manager no time to collect himself.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
managernounUS /ˈmænədʒər/
someone who controls resources and expenditures
From this reading The Chief Inspector gave the manager no time to collect himself.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading “Pretty bad,” agreed the unsympathetic police-officer, “but perhaps it might be worse.”
a form of address for a man
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
not any; not one
From this reading The Chief Inspector gave the manager no time to collect himself.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The manager poured out a glass of whisky and soda with a shaking hand.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
by chance
From this reading “Pretty bad,” agreed the unsympathetic police-officer, “but perhaps it might be worse.”
police-officer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Pretty bad,” agreed the unsympathetic police-officer, “but perhaps it might be worse.”
past form of “pour” — cause to run
From this reading The manager poured out a glass of whisky and soda with a shaking hand.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “Pretty bad,” agreed the unsympathetic police-officer, “but perhaps it might be worse.”
with speed
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading The manager poured out a glass of whisky and soda with a shaking hand.
sodanounUS /ˈsoʊdə/
a sodium salt of carbonic acid; used in making soap powders and glass and paper
From this reading The manager poured out a glass of whisky and soda with a shaking hand.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Chief Inspector gave the manager no time to collect himself.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The Chief Inspector gave the manager no time to collect himself.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Chief Inspector gave the manager no time to collect himself.
unsympatheticadjectiveUS /ənˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/
not sympathetic or disposed toward
From this reading “Pretty bad,” agreed the unsympathetic police-officer, “but perhaps it might be worse.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
whiskynounUS /ˈwɪski/
a liquor made from fermented mash of grain
From this reading The manager poured out a glass of whisky and soda with a shaking hand.
which person or people
From this reading He went rapidly over Mr. Beale's accusation that it was Mr. Hughes who had offered the papers of the dead man to him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The manager poured out a glass of whisky and soda with a shaking hand.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading “Pretty bad,” agreed the unsympathetic police-officer, “but perhaps it might be worse.”
