Chapter XX · A Needle in a Haystack

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

any address at which you dwell more than temporarily

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

the state of being absent

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

anew

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

a distinct feature or element in a problem

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

a particular environment or surrounding influence

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

according with custom or propriety

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

plural of “begin” — Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading In the sunshine the building looked grim and desolate.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

plural of “chimney” — a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

past form of “create” — make or cause to be or to become

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

providing no shelter or sustenance

From this reading In the sunshine the building looked grim and desolate.

possessive form of “detective” — a police officer who investigates crimes

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

fearful expectation or anticipation

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

covered with a layer of dust

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

divisible by two

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

marked by or showing hopelessness

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

set up or found

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty

From this reading In the sunshine the building looked grim and desolate.

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

the aggregate of past events

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading In the sunshine the building looked grim and desolate.

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading In the sunshine the building looked grim and desolate.

third-person singular of “marry” — take in marriage

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

pose a threat to; present a danger to

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

disregarded

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

on one occasion

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

and nothing more

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

not fanciful or imaginative

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

express in words

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

try to get or reach

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

marked by absence of sound

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

emitting or containing little or no smoke

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

the rays of the sun

From this reading In the sunshine the building looked grim and desolate.

usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

plural of “terrace” — usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading In the sunshine the building looked grim and desolate.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

at the time that

From this reading It was a bright and sunny day when Gebb found himself once more at Kirkstone Hall.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading "When she marries Ferris and begins a new life, I dare say she will seek some more cheerful abode," he thought, as he stood on the terrace, and looked on the silent house.

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.

in the company of; together with

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading It looked like a place with a history; and Gebb wondered if Miss Wedderburn, on becoming its mistress, would care to inhabit it again.

of very poor quality or condition

From this reading The smokeless chimneys, the closed doors, dusty windows, and grass-grown terraces, gave the place a forlorn and wretched aspect; and the absence of life, the silence broken only by the twittering of the birds, the neglected gardens, created, even to the detective's prosaic mind, an atmosphere of menace and dread.