used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
abnormaladjectiveUS /æbˈnɔːrməl/
not normal; not typical or usual or regular or conforming to a norm
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They make certain contacts, but they are best considered separately.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Let us begin with the crime.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading They make certain contacts, but they are best considered separately.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They make certain contacts, but they are best considered separately.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
an occurrence of something
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading They make certain contacts, but they are best considered separately.
feeling or showing worry or solicitude
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
carefully weighed
From this reading They make certain contacts, but they are best considered separately.
contactsnounUS /ˈkɑːntækts/
plural of “contact” — close interaction
From this reading They make certain contacts, but they are best considered separately.
convenientlyadverbUS /kənˈviːnjəntli/
in a convenient manner
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation
From this reading A woman of good social position had disappeared.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
the petals or sepals of a flower that bend downward (especially the outer perianth of an iris)
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading A woman of good social position had disappeared.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A woman of good social position had disappeared.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
inquiriesnounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪəriz/
plural of “inquiry” — a search for knowledge
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
investigationnounUS /ˌɪnvestəˈɡeɪʃən/
an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
Letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Let us begin with the crime.
engage in
From this reading They make certain contacts, but they are best considered separately.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
as might be expected
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
a human being
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
personationnoun
imitating the mannerisms of another person
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading A woman of good social position had disappeared.
on the contrary
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
relatingverbUS /rɪˈleɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “relate” — make a logical or causal connection
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
act as a barrier between; stand between
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
separatelyadverbUS /ˈsepərətli/
apart from others
From this reading They make certain contacts, but they are best considered separately.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading A woman of good social position had disappeared.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
in or at that place or location
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They make certain contacts, but they are best considered separately.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
Thorndyke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Let us begin with the crime.
precisely as stated
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Now, to a person having experience of real crime, there was, in this case, from the very beginning, something rather abnormal.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “The investigation of this case,” Thorndyke began, “falls naturally into two separate inquiries: that relating to the crime and that which is concerned with what we may conveniently call the personation.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading A woman of good social position had disappeared.
