used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As he dressed he cudgelled his brains for the reason why Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey had lied.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
brainsnounUS /breɪnz/
plural of “brain” — that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading As he dressed he cudgelled his brains for the reason why Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey had lied.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
a large and stately mansion
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
clothing in general
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
From this reading As he dressed he cudgelled his brains for the reason why Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey had lied.
carefully weighed
From this reading The longer he considered this hypothesis the more possible it grew.
cudgelled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he dressed he cudgelled his brains for the reason why Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey had lied.
put on clothes
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading As he dressed he cudgelled his brains for the reason why Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey had lied.
Flexen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
set up or found
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading The longer he considered this hypothesis the more possible it grew.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading As he dressed he cudgelled his brains for the reason why Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey had lied.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
hypothesisnounUS /haɪˈpɑːθəsəs/
a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations
From this reading The longer he considered this hypothesis the more possible it grew.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The longer he considered this hypothesis the more possible it grew.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading As he dressed he cudgelled his brains for the reason why Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey had lied.
set down according to a plan
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
liednounUS /laɪd/
a German art song of the 19th century for voice and piano
From this reading As he dressed he cudgelled his brains for the reason why Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey had lied.
for more time
From this reading The longer he considered this hypothesis the more possible it grew.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
Loudwater
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he dressed he cudgelled his brains for the reason why Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey had lied.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The longer he considered this hypothesis the more possible it grew.
a form of address for a man
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
portmanteaunounUS /ˈpɔːrtmɑːntoʊ/
a new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading The longer he considered this hypothesis the more possible it grew.
an angry dispute
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading As he dressed he cudgelled his brains for the reason why Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey had lied.
shieldnounUS /ʃiːld/
a protective covering or structure
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The longer he considered this hypothesis the more possible it grew.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
not known
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
unpackedverbUS /ənˈpækt/
past form of “unpack” — remove from its packing
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He found that his portmanteau had arrived, had been unpacked, and that his dress clothes were laid out ready for him on the bed.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
at the time that
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading As he dressed he cudgelled his brains for the reason why Lady Loudwater and Colonel Grey had lied.
WilkinsnounUS /ˈwɪlkɪnz/
United States civil rights leader (1901-1981)
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
wingnounUS /wɪŋ/
a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)
From this reading When Mr. Flexen reached the Castle Wilkins took him to a bedroom in the west wing.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Then an idea came to him: were they lying to shield the unknown woman with whom Lord Loudwater had had that violent quarrel?
