used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
absentadjectiveUS /ˈæbsənt/
not being in a specified place
From this reading The man to whom they had taken the message had been absent at the theater.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The man to whom they had taken the message had been absent at the theater.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
to a severe or serious degree
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
Bracebridge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
brisklyadverbUS /ˈbrɪskli/
in a brisk manner
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
confideverbUS /kənˈfaɪd/
reveal in private; tell confidentially
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
confidentialadjectiveUS /ˌkɑːnfəˈdenʃəl/
entrusted with private information and the confidence of another
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
recognizable; marked
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
deliververbUS /dɪˈlɪvər/
deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
errandnounUS /ˈerənd/
a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
set afire or burning
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man to whom they had taken the message had been absent at the theater.
a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled
From this reading The man to whom they had taken the message had been absent at the theater.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
a brief written record
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
one of four equal parts
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
on the contrary
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
residentialadjectiveUS /ˌrezɪˈdenʃəl/
used or designed for residence or limited to residences
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
sectionnounUS /ˈsekʃən/
a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical)
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
transport commercially
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
required or under orders
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The man to whom they had taken the message had been absent at the theater.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
theaternounUS /ˈθiːətər/
a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
From this reading The man to whom they had taken the message had been absent at the theater.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
for that reason; as a result
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
tree-bordered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
verbaladjectiveUS /ˈvɜːrbəl/
communicated in the form of words
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading AN ADVENTURE— The boys were walking briskly down a tree-bordered, rather badly lighted street in the residential quarter as this conversation took place.
at the time that
From this reading It was, therefore, late when, their errand completed, they started back on a lonely walk through the residential section to the ship.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The man to whom they had taken the message had been absent at the theater.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading As they had a verbal message to deliver, too, and supposed that it, like the note, was confidential, they had not wished to confide it to a servant but had decided to wait.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They had been to the home of a friend of Captain Bracebridge with a confidential note.
