used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE INQUEST Mr. Horran was as dead as a door nail.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There could be no doubt about that.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE INQUEST Mr. Horran was as dead as a door nail.
assassinnounUS /əˈsæsən/
a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed
From this reading Without doubt, he was the assassin.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There could be no doubt about that.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
ChalksnounUS /tʃɔːks/
plural of “chalk” — a soft whitish calcite
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
Clarice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading There could be no doubt about that.
dazedadjectiveUS /deɪzd/
in a state of mental numbness especially as resulting from shock
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading THE INQUEST Mr. Horran was as dead as a door nail.
demoralisedadjective
made less hopeful or enthusiastic
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading THE INQUEST Mr. Horran was as dead as a door nail.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading There could be no doubt about that.
foreshadowedverbUS /fɔːrˈʃædoʊd/
past form of “foreshadow” — indicate, as with a sign or an omen
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
hold firmly
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Without doubt, he was the assassin.
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
Horran
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE INQUEST Mr. Horran was as dead as a door nail.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
INQUESTnounUS /ˈɪnkwest/
an inquiry into the cause of an unexpected death
From this reading THE INQUEST Mr. Horran was as dead as a door nail.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
a form of address for a man
From this reading THE INQUEST Mr. Horran was as dead as a door nail.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
nailverbUS /neɪl/
attach something somewhere by means of nails
From this reading THE INQUEST Mr. Horran was as dead as a door nail.
not any; not one
From this reading There could be no doubt about that.
despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
only a very short time before
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
shiveredverbUS /ˈʃɪvərd/
past form of “shiver” — tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There could be no doubt about that.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE INQUEST Mr. Horran was as dead as a door nail.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There could be no doubt about that.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE INQUEST Mr. Horran was as dead as a door nail.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She could scarcely grasp the situation, notwithstanding that it had been foreshadowed--as it were--by the mystery of the grey man.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Without doubt, he was the assassin.
wrungverbUS /rʌŋ/
inflected form of “wring” — twist and press out of shape
From this reading While Chalks shivered and wrung his hands in the middle of the room, demoralised and helpless, Clarice bent over the bed, in a dazed manner.
