used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Burton awoke the next morning in a new frame of mind.
(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 The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was a real and vital situation, not an imaginable possibility.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading Burton awoke the next morning in a new frame of mind.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
BurtonnounUS /ˈbɜːrtən/
English explorer who with John Speke was the first European to explore Lake Tanganyika (1821-1890)
From this reading Burton awoke the next morning in a new frame of mind.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
commonplaceadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/
completely ordinary and unremarkable
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
conspiracynounUS /kənˈspɪrəsi/
a secret agreement between two or more people to perform an unlawful act
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
a feeling of excitement
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
exposedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspoʊzd/
with no protection or shield
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading Burton awoke the next morning in a new frame of mind.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
hideousadjectiveUS /ˈhɪdiəs/
grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
historicadjectiveUS /hɪˈstɔːrɪk/
belonging to the past; of what is important or famous in the past
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
imaginableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmædʒənəbəl/
capable of being imagined
From this reading It was a real and vital situation, not an imaginable possibility.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Burton awoke the next morning in a new frame of mind.
free from evil or guilt
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Burton awoke the next morning in a new frame of mind.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Burton awoke the next morning in a new frame of mind.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Burton awoke the next morning in a new frame of mind.
newspapersnounUS /ˈnuːzpeɪpərz/
plural of “newspaper” — a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Burton awoke the next morning in a new frame of mind.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Burton awoke the next morning in a new frame of mind.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
the force of policemen and officers
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
a future prospect or potential
From this reading It was a real and vital situation, not an imaginable possibility.
prevalentadjectiveUS /ˈprevələnt/
most frequent or common
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
prosaicadjectiveUS /proʊˈzeɪɪk/
not fanciful or imaginative
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading It was a real and vital situation, not an imaginable possibility.
regulationsnounUS /ˌreɡjəˈleɪʃənz/
plural of “regulation” — an authoritative rule
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
reluctantadjectiveUS /rɪˈlʌktənt/
unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
respectabilitynounUS /riˌspektəˈbɪlɪti/
honorableness by virtue of being respectable and having a good reputation
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Burton awoke the next morning in a new frame of mind.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
a special situation
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
having come into contact
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
UnderwoodnounUS /ˈʌndərwʊd/
the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
vitaladjectiveUS /ˈvaɪtəl/
urgently needed; absolutely necessary
From this reading It was a real and vital situation, not an imaginable possibility.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading The fact that it was not taking place in past historic times or in distant lands, but here in a commonplace town of the middle west in the light of newspapers, police regulations and prevalent respectability,--all this made it more interesting to him, instead of more prosaic.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading If Henry was innocent, then the whole thing was a hideous conspiracy that cried to heaven to be exposed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading His half reluctant interest in the Underwood situation had suddenly been touched with enthusiasm.
