used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading I was afraid of Barbara Wallace's eyes.
(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 Then and there I relinquished all idea of having her help in this inquiry.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
past form of “attract” — direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
Barbara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
opinion or judgment
From this reading I was afraid of Barbara Wallace's eyes.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
set up or found
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The girl gave me one long, steady look.
a young female
From this reading The girl gave me one long, steady look.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Then and there I relinquished all idea of having her help in this inquiry.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading Then and there I relinquished all idea of having her help in this inquiry.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Then and there I relinquished all idea of having her help in this inquiry.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Then and there I relinquished all idea of having her help in this inquiry.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then and there I relinquished all idea of having her help in this inquiry.
Ina
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
inquirynounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪriː/
a search for knowledge
From this reading Then and there I relinquished all idea of having her help in this inquiry.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The girl gave me one long, steady look.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The girl gave me one long, steady look.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
not any; not one
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The girl gave me one long, steady look.
relinquishedadjectiveUS /rɪˈlɪŋkwɪʃt/
that has been withdrawn or retreated from
From this reading Then and there I relinquished all idea of having her help in this inquiry.
plural of “right” — an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
make steady
From this reading The girl gave me one long, steady look.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading She could have done it much better than I, attracted less attention--but no matter.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The girl gave me one long, steady look.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then and there I relinquished all idea of having her help in this inquiry.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Then and there I relinquished all idea of having her help in this inquiry.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Then and there I relinquished all idea of having her help in this inquiry.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
Vandeman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
Wallace'snounUS /ˈwɔːləsəz/
possessive form of “wallace” — Scottish insurgent who led the resistance to Edward I; in 1297 he gained control of Scotland briefly until Edward invaded Scotland again and defeated Wallace and subsequently executed him (1270-1305)
From this reading I was afraid of Barbara Wallace's eyes.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was afraid of Barbara Wallace's eyes.
at the time that
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value
From this reading A BIT OF SILK I must admit that when Worth and Barbara walked up and found me talking to Ina Vandeman, I felt caught dead to rights.
