Chapter VIII · The Confidential Agent

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

(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 All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

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

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

any person at all

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

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

From this reading And as to the man Valdo he eventually went off by himself.

earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

tried unsuccessfully

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

past form of “brood” — think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading There was nothing for it now but to wait and see what was going to happen.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading And as to the man Valdo he eventually went off by himself.

a slight indication

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

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

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

the act of discovering something

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading And as to the man Valdo he eventually went off by himself.

past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

the act of departing

From this reading There was nothing for it now but to wait and see what was going to happen.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

come to pass

From this reading There was nothing for it now but to wait and see what was going to happen.

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

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

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

From this reading And as to the man Valdo he eventually went off by himself.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading And as to the man Valdo he eventually went off by himself.

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

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

used to form the superlative

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

not any; not one

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading There was nothing for it now but to wait and see what was going to happen.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading And as to the man Valdo he eventually went off by himself.

relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

above and across; more than

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

at an earlier time or formerly

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

cut with a saw

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading There was nothing for it now but to wait and see what was going to happen.

so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

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

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was nothing for it now but to wait and see what was going to happen.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

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

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading He said nothing to anybody about it, though he had attempted the night previously to follow up the clue.

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

From this reading And as to the man Valdo he eventually went off by himself.

stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading There was nothing for it now but to wait and see what was going to happen.

past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading The attempt had failed, however, for though Walter had waited outside the theatre, he saw no more of Mrs. Delahay.

German conductor (1876-1962)

From this reading All that evening and most of the next day Walter brooded over his startling discovery.

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

From this reading There was nothing for it now but to wait and see what was going to happen.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading And as to the man Valdo he eventually went off by himself.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading There was nothing for it now but to wait and see what was going to happen.