Chapter XXVIII · The Firebug’s Secret Revealed

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading “Not a thing, I guess.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading It was that man with the hooked nose who set them all.”

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

the boundary of a surface

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading “Not a thing, I guess.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “You haven’t proved that.”

curved down like an eagle's beak

From this reading It was that man with the hooked nose who set them all.”

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “Not a thing, I guess.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was that man with the hooked nose who set them all.”

“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

plural of “knob” — a circular rounded projection or protuberance

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading It was that man with the hooked nose who set them all.”

the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals

From this reading It was that man with the hooked nose who set them all.”

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “Not a thing, I guess.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

established beyond doubt

From this reading “You haven’t proved that.”

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

plural of “school” — an educational institution

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading It was that man with the hooked nose who set them all.”

small crude shelter used as a dwelling

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

inflected form of “speed” — move hurridly

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

a lightweight cord

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

drench or submerge or be drenched or submerged

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading It was that man with the hooked nose who set them all.”

a special situation

From this reading “Not a thing, I guess.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

create by training and teaching

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was that man with the hooked nose who set them all.”

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

which person or people

From this reading It was that man with the hooked nose who set them all.”

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading “That’s why we are now on our way out to the black shack by the edge of the swamp.

in the company of; together with

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “You haven’t proved that.”

the facility where wild animals are housed for exhibition

From this reading “Johnny,” said Pant, as their train sped along, “what did Knobs Whittaker have to do with that string of fires—the schools, the Zoo, and Forest City?”