used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
anew
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
agitatedadjectiveUS /ˈædʒəteɪtɪd/
troubled emotionally and usually deeply
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
(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 It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
from appearances alone
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
arousedadjectiveUS /ərˈaʊzd/
aroused to action
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
brutaladjectiveUS /ˈbruːtəl/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading He took the box from Dufrenne's trembling fingers and examined it carefully.
circumferencenounUS /ˌsɜːrˈkʌmfrəns/
the size of something as given by the distance around it
From this reading It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
deem to be
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
depthnounUS /depθ/
the extent downward or backward or inward
From this reading It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
Dufrenne's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took the box from Dufrenne's trembling fingers and examined it carefully.
Duvall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
past form of “examine” — consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading He took the box from Dufrenne's trembling fingers and examined it carefully.
excitingadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ/
creating or arousing excitement
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading He took the box from Dufrenne's trembling fingers and examined it carefully.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
Frenchman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He took the box from Dufrenne's trembling fingers and examined it carefully.
Grissac's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
plural of “inch” — a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
insignificancenounUS /ˌɪnsɪɡˈnjɪfɪkəns/
the quality of having little or no significance
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
ivorynounUS /ˈaɪvəri/
a hard smooth ivory colored dentine that makes up most of the tusks of elephants and walruses
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
Lefevre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
engage in
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
used as a French courtesy title; equivalent to English “Mr”
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
kill intentionally and with premeditation
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
on one occasion
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
recoverynounUS /rɪˈkʌvri/
return to an original state
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
Richard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
cut with a saw
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
shallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/
lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
From this reading It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
snuffnounUS /snʌf/
the charred portion of a candlewick
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
stakenounUS /steɪk/
(law) a right or legal share of something; a financial involvement with something
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
possessing sweep
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
tensenounUS /tens/
a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Richard Duvall looked at the tense figure, the agitated face of his companion, and once again a feeling of surprise swept over him, as he observed the little Frenchman's joy at the recovery of Monsieur de Grissac's snuff box.
theftnounUS /θeft/
the act of taking something from someone unlawfully
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He took the box from Dufrenne's trembling fingers and examined it carefully.
a shaky motion
From this reading He took the box from Dufrenne's trembling fingers and examined it carefully.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It was about two and a half inches in circumference, and quite shallow, not over half an inch in depth, in all.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Throughout the exciting events of the morning, and of the night before, the detective had lost sight of the apparent insignificance of the object of their search; now that he for the first time saw it before him, his curiosity was once more aroused.
worthlessadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrθləs/
lacking in usefulness or value
From this reading Surely there must be something of vast interest about this apparently worthless bit of ivory, to make its theft the reason for a brutal murder, its recovery a matter of such extreme importance that Monsieur Lefevre should consider the honor of his country at stake.
