used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
affinitynounUS /əˈfɪnəti/
(immunology) the attraction between an antigen and an antibody
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
Amy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
being joined in close association
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading His communication with her had been of a very startling nature in its rapidity and perfection.
a youthful male person
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
channelnounUS /ˈtʃænəl/
a path over which electrical signals can pass
From this reading Real progress might be made, then, through this channel.
communicationnounUS /kəˌmjuːnəˈkeɪʃən/
the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information
From this reading His communication with her had been of a very startling nature in its rapidity and perfection.
persuaded of; very sure
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
developedadjectiveUS /dɪˈveləpt/
being changed over time so as to be e.g. stronger or more complete or more useful
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
disembodiedadjectiveUS /dɪsɪˈbɑːdid/
not having a material body
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
fourthlyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrθli/
in the fourth place
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading His communication with her had been of a very startling nature in its rapidity and perfection.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His communication with her had been of a very startling nature in its rapidity and perfection.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading His communication with her had been of a very startling nature in its rapidity and perfection.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
Laurie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Real progress might be made, then, through this channel.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Real progress might be made, then, through this channel.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading His communication with her had been of a very startling nature in its rapidity and perfection.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
Nugent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
perfectionnounUS /pərˈfekʃən/
the state of being without a flaw or defect
From this reading His communication with her had been of a very startling nature in its rapidity and perfection.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
preventedverbUS /prɪˈventɪd/
past form of “prevent” — keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading Real progress might be made, then, through this channel.
rapiditynounUS /rəˈpɪdəti/
a rate that is rapid
From this reading His communication with her had been of a very startling nature in its rapidity and perfection.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading Real progress might be made, then, through this channel.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
startlingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋ/
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading His communication with her had been of a very startling nature in its rapidity and perfection.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Real progress might be made, then, through this channel.
thirdlyadverbUS /ˈθɜːrdli/
in the third place
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Real progress might be made, then, through this channel.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Real progress might be made, then, through this channel.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
trainedadjectiveUS /treɪnd/
shaped or conditioned or disciplined by training; often used as a combining form
From this reading First, the boy must be convinced; next, he must be attached to the cause; thirdly, his religion must be knocked out of him; fourthly, he must be trained and developed.
trancenounUS /træns/
a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation
From this reading But for the present he must not be allowed to go into trance if it could be prevented.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was plain, he thought, that Laurie had a very strong "affinity," as he would have said, with the disembodied spirit of a certain "Amy Nugent."
