used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
alarmsnounUS /əˈlɑːrmz/
plural of “alarm” — fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Why should they be frightened--why nervous?
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
endowedadjectiveUS /enˈdaʊd/
provided or supplied or equipped with (especially as by inheritance or nature)
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
made afraid
From this reading Why should they be frightened--why nervous?
someone employed to conduct others
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
hob-nob
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
incomprehensibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪŋkɑːmprəˈhensɪbəl/
incapable of being explained or accounted for
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
liftingverbUS /ˈlɪftɪŋ/
-ing form of “lift” — raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
malignantadjectiveUS /məˈlɪɡnənt/
dangerous to health; characterized by progressive and uncontrolled growth (especially of a tumor)
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
the force of workers available
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
moodsnounUS /muːdz/
plural of “mood” — a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
used to form the superlative
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
nervenounUS /nɜːrv/
any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
easily agitated
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
nocturnallyadverb
at night
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
on one occasion
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
roamingverbUS /ˈroʊmɪŋ/
-ing form of “roam” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
robbernounUS /ˈrɑːbər/
a thief who steals from someone by threatening violence
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Why should they be frightened--why nervous?
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
strangestadjectiveUS /ˈstreɪndʒɪst/
superlative of “strange” — being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
surprisesnounUS /sərˈpraɪzɪz/
plural of “surprise” — the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Why should they be frightened--why nervous?
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/
a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
vaguely-frightened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The guide, lifting the torch, looked round on a small band of vaguely-frightened, nervous men.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
which person or people
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why should they be frightened--why nervous?
in the company of; together with
From this reading Nearly all were accustomed to hob-nob with Nature in her strangest and most incomprehensible moods--were accustomed to sudden surprises and alarms, and all were endowed with at least ordinary courage and “nerve.”
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading WORSE YET.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading The secret of this alarm was this--they all had heard that a once feared and malignant robber, who had been dead a year, was roaming nocturnally about the Land of Silence.
but in spite of that
From this reading WORSE YET.
