used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ The whole mysterious affair puzzled Cliff.
North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776
From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ The whole mysterious affair puzzled Cliff.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading Author _of_ “The Mystery Boys Series,” etc.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Author _of_ “The Mystery Boys Series,” etc.
a steep high face of rock
From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ The whole mysterious affair puzzled Cliff.
craftyadjectiveUS /ˈkræfti/
marked by skill in deception
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
etc
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author _of_ “The Mystery Boys Series,” etc.
opinion or judgment
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ The whole mysterious affair puzzled Cliff.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Who wrote it?
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
Lucy'snounUS /ˈluːsiz/
possessive form of “lucy” — incomplete skeleton of female found in eastern Ethiopia in 1974
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
of an obscure nature
From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ The whole mysterious affair puzzled Cliff.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading Author _of_ “The Mystery Boys Series,” etc.
not any; not one
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Author _of_ “The Mystery Boys Series,” etc.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
PerunounUS /pərˈuː/
a republic in western South America; achieved independence from Spain in 1821; was the heart of the Inca empire from the 12th to 16th centuries
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
past form of “print” — put into print
From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ The whole mysterious affair puzzled Cliff.
filled with bewilderment
From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ The whole mysterious affair puzzled Cliff.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
similar things placed in order or happening one after another
From this reading Author _of_ “The Mystery Boys Series,” etc.
shiftyadjectiveUS /ˈʃɪfti/
characterized by insincerity or deceit; evasive
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
SpaniardnounUS /ˈspænjərd/
a native or inhabitant of Spain
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ The whole mysterious affair puzzled Cliff.
stockyadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːki/
having a short and solid form or stature
From this reading “No,” he answered the stocky Spaniard with the crafty, shifty eyes, “I did not get a letter from Peru.
plural of “stranger” — anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
stridenounUS /straɪd/
a step in walking or running
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Author _of_ “The Mystery Boys Series,” etc.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
UnitedadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/
characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity
From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ The whole mysterious affair puzzled Cliff.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
which person or people
From this reading Who wrote it?
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ The whole mysterious affair puzzled Cliff.
in the company of; together with
From this reading To have those queer strangers appear suddenly at Aunt Lucy’s with their unusual questions threw him a little off his stride.
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading Who wrote it?
