used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
(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 “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
next to; at the side of
From this reading He had taken up the bulky pocket-book which lay on the sofa beside him.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
bulkyadjectiveUS /ˈbʌlki/
of large size for its weight
From this reading He had taken up the bulky pocket-book which lay on the sofa beside him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
a large and stately mansion
From this reading THE FIRST OF THE “SLAINS CASTLE.”
Charlie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
chipnounUS /tʃɪp/
a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
fillsnounUS /fɪlz/
plural of “fill” — a quantity sufficient to satisfy
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
FIRSTadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading THE FIRST OF THE “SLAINS CASTLE.”
fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtəd/
being the right size and shape to fit as desired
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had taken up the bulky pocket-book which lay on the sofa beside him.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had taken up the bulky pocket-book which lay on the sofa beside him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He had taken up the bulky pocket-book which lay on the sofa beside him.
lo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
the message that is intended or expressed or signified
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
odd-shaped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE FIRST OF THE “SLAINS CASTLE.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had taken up the bulky pocket-book which lay on the sofa beside him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
pleadedverbUS /ˈpliːdɪd/
past form of “plead” — appeal or request earnestly
From this reading “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
pocket-book
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had taken up the bulky pocket-book which lay on the sofa beside him.
in the near future
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
puzzleverbUS /ˈpʌzəl/
be a mystery or bewildering to
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
except for; apart from
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
SLAINS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST OF THE “SLAINS CASTLE.”
sofanounUS /ˈsoʊfə/
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading He had taken up the bulky pocket-book which lay on the sofa beside him.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading He had taken up the bulky pocket-book which lay on the sofa beside him.
express in words
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FIRST OF THE “SLAINS CASTLE.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/
void of intelligence or thought
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading “It is as if I picked up an odd-shaped bit of wood, which seemed a mere chip, but presently you came in with a puzzle, all fitted, save for one vacant place, and lo, my chip exactly fills it!”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Well, as I tell you, it is your secret which has given any meaning to mine,” he said.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I am all curiosity to hear your secret, Charlie,” pleaded his wife.
