used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading BOUND AND GAGGED The Hardy boys were astonished by this information.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading BOUND AND GAGGED The Hardy boys were astonished by this information.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading “I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to yourself.
confined by bonds
From this reading BOUND AND GAGGED The Hardy boys were astonished by this information.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading BOUND AND GAGGED The Hardy boys were astonished by this information.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading BOUND AND GAGGED The Hardy boys were astonished by this information.
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
featherverbUS /ˈfeðər/
join tongue and groove, in carpentry
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
GAGGEDverbUS /ɡæɡd/
inflected form of “gag” — prevent from speaking out
From this reading BOUND AND GAGGED The Hardy boys were astonished by this information.
Ganny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
only a very short time before
From this reading “I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to yourself.
HardyadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrdi/
having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
From this reading BOUND AND GAGGED The Hardy boys were astonished by this information.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to yourself.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
a message received and understood
From this reading BOUND AND GAGGED The Hardy boys were astonished by this information.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to yourself.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to yourself.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading “I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to yourself.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading “I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to yourself.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
operatingadjectiveUS /ˈɑːpəreɪtɪŋ/
involved in a kind of operation
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
pencilnounUS /ˈpensəl/
a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
with speed
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
with low volume
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
Snackley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
stumbledverbUS /ˈstʌmbəld/
past form of “stumble” — walk unsteadily
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
tappingnounUS /ˈtæpɪŋ/
the sound of light blow or knock
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
express in words
From this reading “I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to yourself.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to yourself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BOUND AND GAGGED The Hardy boys were astonished by this information.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their father, tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading BOUND AND GAGGED The Hardy boys were astonished by this information.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
vicinitynounUS /vəˈsɪnəti/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading BOUND AND GAGGED The Hardy boys were astonished by this information.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a great feather in our cap to catch him.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You may have stumbled on some information of great value,” he said to them quietly.
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading “I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to yourself.
