used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Simmons Pendar had the reputation of being one of the best officers in the detective service.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading Simmons Pendar had the reputation of being one of the best officers in the detective service.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading ON THE TRAIL OF THE BLACK HANDERS.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
ChestertonnounUS /ˈtʃestərtən/
conservative English writer of the Roman Catholic persuasion; in addition to volumes of criticism and polemics he wrote detective novels featuring Father Brown (1874-1936)
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
cluesnounUS /kluːz/
plural of “clue” — a slight indication
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
confessedverbUS /kənˈfest/
past form of “confess” — confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
persuaded of; very sure
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading Simmons Pendar had the reputation of being one of the best officers in the detective service.
make plain and comprehensible
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
exploitsnounUS /ˈeksplɔɪts/
plural of “exploit” — a notable achievement
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
extensiveadjectiveUS /ɪkˈstensɪv/
large in spatial extent or range or scope or quantity
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Simmons Pendar had the reputation of being one of the best officers in the detective service.
HANDERS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON THE TRAIL OF THE BLACK HANDERS.
HastingsnounUS /ˈheɪstɪŋz/
United States architect who formed and important architectural firm with John Merven Carrere (1860-1929)
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
headquartersnounUS /ˈhedkwɔːrtərz/
(usually plural) the office that serves as the administrative center of an enterprise
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
of great significance or value
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Simmons Pendar had the reputation of being one of the best officers in the detective service.
incidentsnounUS /ˈɪnsədənts/
plural of “incident” — a single distinct event
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
insignificantadjectiveUS /ˌɪnsɪɡˈnjɪfɪkənt/
signifying nothing
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
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 Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
kidnappersnounUS /ˈkɪdnæpərz/
plural of “kidnapper” — someone who unlawfully seizes and detains a victim (usually for ransom)
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
marvelouslyadverbUS /ˈmɑːrvələsli/
(used as an intensifier) extremely well
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
occurrencenounUS /əˈkɜːrəns/
an event that happens
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ON THE TRAIL OF THE BLACK HANDERS.
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading Simmons Pendar had the reputation of being one of the best officers in the detective service.
ofteneradverbUS /ˈɔːfənər/
more often or more frequently
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ON THE TRAIL OF THE BLACK HANDERS.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Simmons Pendar had the reputation of being one of the best officers in the detective service.
Pendar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Simmons Pendar had the reputation of being one of the best officers in the detective service.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
established beyond doubt
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
the state of being held in high esteem and honor
From this reading Simmons Pendar had the reputation of being one of the best officers in the detective service.
work done by one person or group that benefits another
From this reading Simmons Pendar had the reputation of being one of the best officers in the detective service.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
Simmons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Simmons Pendar had the reputation of being one of the best officers in the detective service.
subtleadjectiveUS /ˈsʌtəl/
difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
having succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ON THE TRAIL OF THE BLACK HANDERS.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading ON THE TRAIL OF THE BLACK HANDERS.
triflingnounUS /ˈtraɪflɪŋ/
the deliberate act of delaying and playing instead of working
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
vaguestadjectiveUS /ˈveɪɡɪst/
superlative of “vague” — not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Several of his exploits proved that he possessed a brilliant mind, was quick in reading the vaguest clues and marvelously successful in following them up.
westwardadverbUS /ˈwestwərd/
toward the west
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading It is not my purpose to explain by what subtle means he convinced himself that the kidnappers of little Grace Hastings had their headquarters in the extensive wilderness to the westward of the country town of Chesterton.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Had he confessed the truth he would have admitted that a trifling occurrence, one of those insignificant incidents which figure oftener than is believed in important matters, gave him the key.
