used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Otherwise he was just a gas bag.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
any thing at all
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
a flexible container with a single opening
From this reading Otherwise he was just a gas bag.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability
From this reading "The only plotting the man was capable of was to get liquor.
freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
emphaticallyadverbUS /emˈfætɪkli/
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading The doctor shook his head emphatically.
apart from; not including
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
franklyadverbUS /ˈfræŋkli/
(used as intensives reflecting the speaker's attitude) it is sincerely the case that
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
gasnounUS /ɡæs/
the state of matter distinguished from the solid and liquid states by: relatively low density and viscosity
From this reading Otherwise he was just a gas bag.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "The only plotting the man was capable of was to get liquor.
groundsnounUS /ɡraʊndz/
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Otherwise he was just a gas bag.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The doctor shook his head emphatically.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The doctor shook his head emphatically.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
and nothing more
From this reading Otherwise he was just a gas bag.
liquornounUS /ˈlɪkər/
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading "The only plotting the man was capable of was to get liquor.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "The only plotting the man was capable of was to get liquor.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
not any; not one
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
O'BriennounUS /oʊˈbraɪɪn/
Irish writer (born in 1932)
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
and nothing more
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
in other respects or ways
From this reading Otherwise he was just a gas bag.
plottingverbUS /ˈplɑːtɪŋ/
inflected form of “plot” — plan secretly, usually something illegal
From this reading "The only plotting the man was capable of was to get liquor.
make a promise or commitment
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
Ransay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
to say, state, or perform again
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading The doctor shook his head emphatically.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
suspectingverbUS /səˈspektɪŋ/
-ing form of “suspect” — imagine to be the case or true or probable
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
express in words
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
treasonableadjective
having the character of, or characteristic of, a traitor
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "The only plotting the man was capable of was to get liquor.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading Only in return you must tell me absolutely frankly if you have seen any grounds for suspecting O'Brien of anything treasonable--anything whatever."
which person or people
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I promise you, doctor," I said, "that I shall repeat no word of this story--except of course in confidence to those who are on the track of this business in Ransay.
