used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
(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 Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
ambushverbUS /ˈæmbʊʃ/
wait in hiding to attack
From this reading He had fallen into an ambush.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had fallen into an ambush.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
confrontedverbUS /kənˈfrʌntəd/
past form of “confront” — oppose, as in hostility or a competition
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
having escaped, especially from confinement
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
divisible by two
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading He had fallen into an ambush.
not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
hesitateverbUS /ˈhezəteɪt/
pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He had fallen into an ambush.
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 Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
Labar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
engage in
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
the force of workers available
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
kill intentionally and with premeditation
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
netnounUS /net/
a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
practicallyadverbUS /ˈpræktɪkli/
almost; nearly
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
remaindernounUS /rɪˈmeɪndər/
something left after other parts have been taken away
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
hit with a missile from a weapon
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
tightestadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪtəst/
superlative of “tight” — closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading Harry Labar had been in many tight corners in his life, but now he knew himself in the tightest of them all.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
except if; if not
From this reading Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
(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 Unless they escaped the net that was closing round them they knew as well as he did that practically the remainder of their lives would be spent in prison.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
in or at the place that
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
which person or people
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading They were in a situation where nothing--not even murder--could make matters much worse for them.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He was certain that at the first false move he made neither of the men who confronted him would hesitate to shoot him down.
