used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
(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 "So, for all the same reasons and several more, I thought I'd be early too.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "I thought, for several reasons, you would be early," he said.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
coincidencenounUS /koʊˈɪnsɪdəns/
an event that might have been arranged although it was really accidental
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
coollyadverbUS /ˈkuːli/
in a composed and unconcerned manner
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
couriersnounUS /ˈkɜːriərz/
plural of “courier” — a person who carries a message
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
DanenounUS /deɪn/
a native or inhabitant of Denmark
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
recognizable; marked
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
I'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So, for all the same reasons and several more, I thought I'd be early too.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I had to know what the situation was to be."
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "So, for all the same reasons and several more, I thought I'd be early too.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
a form of address for a man
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
plural of “reason” — a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading "I thought, for several reasons, you would be early," he said.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I thought, for several reasons, you would be early," he said.
Identical; not different.
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading "I thought, for several reasons, you would be early," he said.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading I had to know what the situation was to be."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "So, for all the same reasons and several more, I thought I'd be early too.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading "So, for all the same reasons and several more, I thought I'd be early too.
precisely as stated
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I had to know what the situation was to be."
used to ask for information about something
From this reading I had to know what the situation was to be."
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I decided to have my breakfast very early next morning, and would have thought it a coincidence that Mr. Dane should walk into the couriers' room at the same time if he hadn't coolly told me that he had been lying in wait for me to appear.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I thought, for several reasons, you would be early," he said.
