used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
agonizingadjectiveUS /ˈæɡənaɪzɪŋ/
extremely painful
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
Bimble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
of short duration or distance
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
a series of things depending on each other as if linked together
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading The Phantom shuddered as his imagination pictured her strapped to the chair in that chamber of ghastly things.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading The Phantom shuddered as his imagination pictured her strapped to the chair in that chamber of ghastly things.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
cudgeling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
elationnounUS /ɪˈleɪʃən/
an exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism; an absence of depression
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
being one more than ten
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
at any time
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
extricateverbUS /ˈekstrəkeɪt/
release from entanglement of difficulty
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
set up or found
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
ghastlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡæstli/
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
From this reading The Phantom shuddered as his imagination pictured her strapped to the chair in that chamber of ghastly things.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
(Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The Phantom shuddered as his imagination pictured her strapped to the chair in that chamber of ghastly things.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
hoaxed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading The Phantom shuddered as his imagination pictured her strapped to the chair in that chamber of ghastly things.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
insolvableadjective
not easily solved
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
intuitionnounUS /ˌɪntuːˈɪʃən/
instinctive knowing (without the use of rational processes)
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
messengersnounUS /ˈmesəndʒərz/
plural of “messenger” — a person who carries a message
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
easily agitated
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
ordealnounUS /ɔːrˈdiːl/
a severe or trying experience
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
PhantomnounUS /ˈfæn.təm/
A ghost or apparition; a figment of the imagination or a hidden dweller.
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
picturedadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərd/
seen in the mind as a mental image
From this reading The Phantom shuddered as his imagination pictured her strapped to the chair in that chamber of ghastly things.
predicamentnounUS /prɪˈdɪkəmənt/
a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
get something; come into possession of
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
semicirclenoun
a plane figure with the shape of half a circle
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
shudderedverbUS /ˈʃʌdərd/
past form of “shudder” — shake, as from cold
From this reading The Phantom shuddered as his imagination pictured her strapped to the chair in that chamber of ghastly things.
solutionnounUS /səˈluːʃən/
a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently (but not necessarily) a liquid solution
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
in the near future
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
strappedverbUS /stræpt/
inflected form of “strap” — tie with a strap
From this reading The Phantom shuddered as his imagination pictured her strapped to the chair in that chamber of ghastly things.
subjectedverbUS /səbˈdʒektɪd/
past form of “subject” — cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading The Phantom shuddered as his imagination pictured her strapped to the chair in that chamber of ghastly things.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The solution of the mystery had come to him in a flash of intuition, but his elation had been brief.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading With quick and nervous steps the Phantom walked back and forth within the narrow semicircle allowed him by the chain.
witsnounUS /wɪts/
the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception
From this reading It was now half past eleven, and after cudgeling his wits for hours, he found the problem of how to extricate himself and Helen from their predicament as insolvable as ever.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Soon Bimble would receive word from his messengers that they had been hoaxed, and then Helen would be subjected to another agonizing ordeal in the dark room.
