used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
arrestverbUS /ərˈest/
take into custody
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
awaitingverbUS /əˈweɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “await” — look forward to the probable occurrence of
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading By degrees Herbert began to realize the compromising position in which he had placed himself.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By degrees Herbert began to realize the compromising position in which he had placed himself.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
capstonenounUS /ˈkæpstoʊn/
a final touch; a crowning achievement; a culmination
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
compromisingadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmprəmaɪzɪŋ/
making or willing to make concessions
From this reading By degrees Herbert began to realize the compromising position in which he had placed himself.
damagingadjectiveUS /ˈdæmɪdʒɪŋ/
(sometimes followed by “to”) causing harm or injury
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
degreesnounUS /dɪˈɡriːz/
plural of “degree” — a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading By degrees Herbert began to realize the compromising position in which he had placed himself.
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
discoveringverbUS /dɪˈskʌvərɪŋ/
-ing form of “discover” — discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
ghostlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊstli/
resembling or characteristic of a phantom
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
death of a person
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
Harkins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
HerbertnounUS /ˈhɜːrbərt/
United States musician and composer and conductor noted for his comic operas (1859-1924)
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading By degrees Herbert began to realize the compromising position in which he had placed himself.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading By degrees Herbert began to realize the compromising position in which he had placed himself.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
a particular point in time
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
and nothing more
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
performverbUS /pərˈfɔːrm/
carry out or perform an action
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
phantomnounUS /ˈfæn.təm/
A ghost or apparition; a figment of the imagination or a hidden dweller.
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading By degrees Herbert began to realize the compromising position in which he had placed himself.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading By degrees Herbert began to realize the compromising position in which he had placed himself.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
be fully aware or cognizant of
From this reading By degrees Herbert began to realize the compromising position in which he had placed himself.
remarkablyadverbUS /rɪˈmɑːrkəbli/
to a remarkable degree or extent
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
sleuthnounUS /sluːθ/
a detective who follows a trail
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
in or at that place or location
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading By degrees Herbert began to realize the compromising position in which he had placed himself.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
unexpectedlyadverbUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪdli/
in a way that was not expected
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
unnervedadjectiveUS /ənˈnɜːrvd/
deprived of courage and strength
From this reading The shock of discovering Arthur Black so unexpectedly and under such damaging circumstances completely unnerved Herbert Harkins.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
at the time that
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading By degrees Herbert began to realize the compromising position in which he had placed himself.
which person or people
From this reading For many seconds he stood there staring at Arthur as if he were some ghostly phantom who had suddenly appeared from the grave.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Herbert did not turn around, but felt that the sleuth was there, ready to perform the act which was to be the capstone of a remarkably clever piece of newspaper work.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading The detective stood only a few yards away eagerly watching the scene and awaiting the moment when he would be called upon to place Arthur Black under arrest.
