used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
AbbotnounUS /ˈæbət/
the superior of an abbey of monks
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He was about to swing it up to the rack, but the young sailor stopped him.
Alec
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was about to swing it up to the rack, but the young sailor stopped him.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
cellsnounUS /selz/
plural of “cell” — any small compartment
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
compartmentnounUS /kəmˈpɑːrtmənt/
a space into which an area is subdivided
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
exceptionallyadverbUS /ɪkˈsepʃənəli/
to an exceptional degree
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
give expression to
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
fine-work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
first-classadjectiveUS /ˌfɜːrstˈklæs/
very good; of the highest quality
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading A porter followed him with a heavy suitcase.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was about to swing it up to the rack, but the young sailor stopped him.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading A porter followed him with a heavy suitcase.
Hercule
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A porter followed him with a heavy suitcase.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
intriguingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtriːɡɪŋ/
disturbingly provocative
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He was about to swing it up to the rack, but the young sailor stopped him.
go away from a place
From this reading “No—leave it on the seat.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living tissues
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
NewtonnounUS /ˈnuːtən/
English mathematician and physicist; remembered for developing the calculus and for his law of gravitation and his three laws of motion (1642-1727)
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
not any; not one
From this reading “No—leave it on the seat.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
many times at short intervals
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “No—leave it on the seat.
a raised horizontal surface
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
PlymouthnounUS /ˈplɪməθ/
a town in Massachusetts founded by Pilgrims in 1620
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
Poirot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
porternounUS /ˈpɔːrtər/
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading A porter followed him with a heavy suitcase.
a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
rackverbUS /ræk/
go at a rack
From this reading He was about to swing it up to the rack, but the young sailor stopped him.
referredverbUS /rəˈfɜːrd/
inflected form of “refer” — make reference to
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
any member of a ship's crew
From this reading He was about to swing it up to the rack, but the young sailor stopped him.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading “No—leave it on the seat.
SimpsonnounUS /ˈsɪmpsən/
United States divorcee whose marriage to Edward VIII created a constitutional crisis leading to his abdication
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Alec Simpson, R. N., stepped from the platform at Newton Abbot into a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading He was about to swing it up to the rack, but the young sailor stopped him.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
suitcasenounUS /ˈsuːtkeɪs/
a portable rectangular container for carrying clothes
From this reading A porter followed him with a heavy suitcase.
swingverbUS /swɪŋ/
move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading He was about to swing it up to the rack, but the young sailor stopped him.
talentedadjectiveUS /ˈtæləntɪd/
endowed with talent or talents
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He was about to swing it up to the rack, but the young sailor stopped him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was about to swing it up to the rack, but the young sailor stopped him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A porter followed him with a heavy suitcase.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading “The little gray cells,” so often referred to by the great detective Hercule Poirot, certainly get in their fine-work in this intriguing mystery story by an exceptionally talented writer.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading He was about to swing it up to the rack, but the young sailor stopped him.
