used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
(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 He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
appealedverbUS /əˈpiːld/
past form of “appeal” — take a court case to a higher court for review
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
aristocratsnounUS /ərˈɪstəkræts/
plural of “aristocrat” — a member of the aristocracy
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
augurverbUS /ˈɔːɡər/
indicate, as with a sign or an omen
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
Barrington
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
BINDINGnounUS /ˈbaɪndɪŋ/
the capacity to attract and hold something
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
a state at a particular time
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
containverbUS /kənˈteɪn/
include or contain; have as a component
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
contemptibleadjectiveUS /kənˈtemptəbəl/
deserving of contempt or scorn
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading These men should not have their will of him if he could prevent it.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
defensenounUS /dɪˈfens/
(military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
deserveverbUS /dɪˈzɜːrv/
be worthy or deserving
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
characterized by great determination
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
plural of “enemy” — an opposing military force
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
morally objectionable behavior
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
frontiernounUS /frənˈtɪr/
a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
to the greatest degree or extent; completely or entirely; (“full” in this sense is used as a combining form)
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
destroyed or killed
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading These men should not have their will of him if he could prevent it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
helplessnessnounUS /ˈhelpləsnəs/
powerlessness revealed by an inability to act
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
not accessible to view
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
a message received and understood
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
engage in
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
the force of workers available
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
meted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
a particular point in time
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
perchanceadverbUS /pərˈtʃæns/
through chance
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading These men should not have their will of him if he could prevent it.
the act of punishing
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
raise the level or amount of something
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
reliancenounUS /rɪˈlaɪəns/
certainty based on past experience
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
responsibleadjectiveUS /riˈspɑːnsəbəl/
worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading These men should not have their will of him if he could prevent it.
spyverbUS /spaɪ/
catch sight of
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
on a floor above
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A BINDING OATH The return of these men, if indeed they were responsible for the condition of the man upstairs, might augur further evil for him.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
which person or people
From this reading He might be a contemptible spy, his message might contain hidden information to the enemies of his country; he was certainly carrying it to aristocrats who were safe across the frontier, and he might fully deserve all the punishment which had been meted out to him, but for the moment he was unable to raise a hand in his own defense and his helplessness appealed to Barrington.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading These men should not have their will of him if he could prevent it.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading They had perchance returned along the road to make certain that their work was complete, and, finding their victim gone, were now in search of him.
people who are wounded
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
but in spite of that
From this reading Exactly what reliance was to be placed on the word of the wounded man, Barrington had not yet determined.
