used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
the power or right to give orders or make decisions
From this reading But for this badge of authority he would have passed merely for a well-dressed business man.
badgenounUS /bædʒ/
an emblem (a small piece of plastic or cloth or metal) that signifies your status (rank or membership or affiliation etc.)
From this reading But for this badge of authority he would have passed merely for a well-dressed business man.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading But for this badge of authority he would have passed merely for a well-dressed business man.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But for this badge of authority he would have passed merely for a well-dressed business man.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
CLUEnounUS /kluː/
a slight indication
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
desksnounUS /desks/
plural of “desk” — a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/
housing that someone is living in
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
provided with whatever is necessary for a purpose (as furniture or equipment or authority)
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading One of the men was large and white-haired, upon whose vest a golden star sparkled.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But for this badge of authority he would have passed merely for a well-dressed business man.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading One of the men was large and white-haired, upon whose vest a golden star sparkled.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
loungeverbUS /laʊndʒ/
sit or recline comfortably
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading But for this badge of authority he would have passed merely for a well-dressed business man.
the force of workers available
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
and nothing more
From this reading But for this badge of authority he would have passed merely for a well-dressed business man.
marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
held or filled or in use
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One of the men was large and white-haired, upon whose vest a golden star sparkled.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One of the men was large and white-haired, upon whose vest a golden star sparkled.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading But for this badge of authority he would have passed merely for a well-dressed business man.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
secludedadjectiveUS /sɪˈkluːdɪd/
hidden from general view or use
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
spaciousadjectiveUS /ˈspeɪʃəs/
very large in expanse or scope
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
sparkledverbUS /ˈspɑːrkəld/
past form of “sparkle” — reflect brightly
From this reading One of the men was large and white-haired, upon whose vest a golden star sparkled.
(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading One of the men was large and white-haired, upon whose vest a golden star sparkled.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
tablesnounUS /ˈteɪbəlz/
plural of “table” — a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading But for this badge of authority he would have passed merely for a well-dressed business man.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading A CLUE Two men sat in a secluded room on a quiet street in London.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading One of the men was large and white-haired, upon whose vest a golden star sparkled.
vestverbUS /vest/
provide with power and authority
From this reading One of the men was large and white-haired, upon whose vest a golden star sparkled.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
well-dressedadjective
having tasteful clothing and being scrupulously neat
From this reading But for this badge of authority he would have passed merely for a well-dressed business man.
white-hairedadjective
showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair
From this reading One of the men was large and white-haired, upon whose vest a golden star sparkled.
belonging to which person
From this reading One of the men was large and white-haired, upon whose vest a golden star sparkled.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The room they occupied was spacious, furnished with several desks and tables and lounge and easy chairs.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading To look at the building from the street it would have been taken for a modest dwelling house.
