used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading FINDING A CLEW.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Precisely how to set about it he did not know.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
ascertainverbUS /ˌæsərˈteɪn/
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
bondsnounUS /bɑːndz/
plural of “bond” — an electrical force linking atoms
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
BowmannounUS /ˈboʊmən/
a person who is expert in the use of a bow and arrow
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
CLEWnoun
a ball of yarn or cord or thread
From this reading FINDING A CLEW.
a small house with a single story
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
dependverbUS /dɪˈpend/
be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
detectivenounUS /dɪˈtektɪv/
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Precisely how to set about it he did not know.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading FINDING A CLEW.
Fred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Precisely how to set about it he did not know.
not accessible to view
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Precisely how to set about it he did not know.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Precisely how to set about it he did not know.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Precisely how to set about it he did not know.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
engage in
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Precisely how to set about it he did not know.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
and nothing more
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
PreciselyadverbUS /prɪˈsaɪsli/
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading Precisely how to set about it he did not know.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
secretedverbUS /səˈkriːtɪd/
past form of “secrete” — generate and separate from cells or bodily fluids
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
securitiesnounUS /sɪˈkjʊrətiz/
plural of “security” — the state of being free from danger or injury
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Precisely how to set about it he did not know.
shrewdnessnounUS /ˈʃruːdnəs/
intelligence manifested by being astute (as in business dealings)
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
Sinclair's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
the main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
in or at the place that
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The object which Fred had in view now, was to ascertain where Bowman had hidden the securities taken from the trunk in Sinclair's cottage.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading He had never had any experience in detective work, and had only his native shrewdness to depend upon.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It occurred to him, however, that Bowman would be likely from time to time to visit the place where he had secreted the bonds in order to make sure that they were safe.
