adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
adventureverbUS /ædˈventʃər/
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
agenounUS /eɪdʒ/
how long something has existed
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
askingnounUS /ˈæskɪŋ/
the verbal act of requesting
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
bearingnounUS /ˈberɪŋ/
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
bitnounUS /bɪt/
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
Bryce
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
calledverbUS /kɔːld/
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
carefullyadverbUS /ˈkerfəli/
taking care or paying attention
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
cluenounUS /kluː/
a slight indication
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
convictionnounUS /kənˈvɪkʃən/
an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
creasesnounUS /ˈkriːsɪz/
plural of “crease” — an angular or rounded shape made by folding
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
deadadjectiveUS /ded/
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
documentnounUS /ˈdɑːkjəment/
writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
drewnounUS /druː/
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
edgesnounUS /ˈedʒəz/
plural of “edge” — the boundary of a surface
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
evidencenounUS /ˈevədəns/
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
evidentlyadverbUS /ˈevədəntli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
flatadjectiveUS /flæt/
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
foldedverbUS /ˈfoʊldəd/
past form of “fold” — bend or lay so that one part covers the other
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
fragmentnounUS /ˈfræɡ.mənt/
A small part broken or separated off something larger.
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
glanceverbUS /ɡlæns/
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
heldadjectiveUS /held/
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
importancenounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtəns/
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
keptadjectiveUS /kept/
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/
set down according to a plan
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
leafnounUS /liːf/
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
leathernounUS /ˈleðər/
an animal skin made smooth and flexible by removing the hair and then tanning
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
lockedverbUS /lɑːkt/
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
makeverbUS /meɪk/
engage in
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
meaningnounUS /ˈmiːnɪŋ/
the message that is intended or expressed or signified
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
mereadjectiveUS /mɪr/
being nothing more than specified
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
morning'snounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/
possessive form of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/
to a great degree or extent
From this reading There was not much to see.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There was not much to see.
notepapernoun
writing paper intended for writing short notes or letters
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
ordinarynounUS /ˈɔːrdəneri/
a judge of a probate court
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
pocketnounUS /ˈpɑːkət/
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
pursenounUS /pɜːrs/
a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women)
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
quarternounUS /ˈkwɔːrtər/
one of four equal parts
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
realadjectiveUS /riːl/
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
rubbingnounUS /ˈrʌbɪŋ/
the resistance encountered when one body is moved in contact with another
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
scrapnounUS /skræp/
a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
seeverbUS /siː/
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading There was not much to see.
seenverbUS /siːn/
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
slightlyadverbUS /ˈslaɪtli/
to a small degree or extent
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/
to a small degree or extent
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
stainedadjectiveUS /steɪnd/
marked or dyed or discolored with foreign matter
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
stoutish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
ThereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was not much to see.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
unfoldedverbUS /ənˈfoʊldɪd/
past form of “unfold” — develop or come to a promising stage
From this reading And now he unfolded and laid it flat on his table and looked at it carefully, asking himself what was the real meaning of what he saw.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
well-definedadjective
having a clean and distinct outline as if precisely cut along the edges
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading When Bryce, in his locked room, drew that bit of paper from his pocket, it was with the conviction that in it he held a clue to the secret of the morning's adventure.
withdrewverbUS /wɪθˈdruː/
inflected form of “withdraw” — pull back or move away or backward
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
wornverbUS /wɔːrn/
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading He had only taken a mere glance at it as he withdrew it from the dead man's purse, but he had seen enough of what was written on it to make him certain that it was a document--if such a mere fragment could be called a document--of no ordinary importance.
yellowadjectiveUS /ˈjeloʊ/
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading The scrap of paper itself was evidently a quarter of a leaf of old-fashioned, stoutish notepaper, somewhat yellow with age, and bearing evidence of having been folded and kept flat in the dead man's purse for some time--the creases were well-defined, the edges were worn and slightly stained by long rubbing against the leather.
