used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
any person at all
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
a youthful male person
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
cellarnounUS /ˈselər/
the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
one who is the object of choice; who is given preference
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
cornetnounUS /kɔːrˈnet/
a brass musical instrument with a brilliant tone; has a narrow tube and a flared bell and is played by means of valves
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
dabverbUS /dæb/
apply (usually a liquid) to a surface
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
dog-cart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
operate or control a vehicle
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
excursionnounUS /ɪkˈskɜːrʒən/
a journey taken for pleasure
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
fognounUS /fɑːɡ/
droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
gropedverbUS /ɡroʊpt/
past form of “grope” — feel about uncertainly or blindly
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
Laurence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
Maynard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
Rayner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
relyverbUS /rɪˈlaɪ/
have faith or confidence in
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
stable-gate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
store-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
tootlenounUS /ˈtuːtəl/
the sound of casual playing on a musical instrument
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
unseenadjectiveUS /ənˈsiːn/
not seen or perceived
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading And, as I could rely upon the silence of Mrs. Rayner and the cook, I said nothing to anybody else about my excursion.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
precisely as stated
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
(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, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
at the time that
From this reading We were about an hour over dinner, and, when Mr. Rayner had been to the cellar--not the dreadful store-room cellar--himself to get out a bottle of port, he asked Mr. Maynard if he was fond of music.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading We followed the dog-cart at a safe distance, which was not very far off in the fog, until it stopped at the stable-gate.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Then we slipped past quite unseen on the other side of the road, while Mr. Rayner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as I could, and got in some minutes before Mr. Rayner and his companion.
belonging to which person
From this reading “Well, I’m not much of a dab at it myself, though I used to tootle a little upon the cornet when I was a boy,” replied the detective, whose language had grown a little easier and was less carefully chosen as he knew us better.
