used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
(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 He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
arightadverb
in an accurate manner
From this reading He could scarcely believe he had heard aright.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
attributedverbUS /əˈtrɪbjətɪd/
past form of “attribute” — attribute or credit to
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading He could scarcely believe he had heard aright.
bombshellnounUS /ˈbɑːmʃel/
an entertainer who has a sensational effect
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
BrownenounUS /braʊn/
English illustrator of several of Dickens' novels (1815-1882)
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
a low-lying region in central France
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
consternationnounUS /ˌkɑːnstərˈneɪʃən/
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
expiringverbUS /ɪkˈspaɪrɪŋ/
-ing form of “expire” — lose validity
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
guiltnounUS /ɡɪlt/
the state of having committed an offense
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He could scarcely believe he had heard aright.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He could scarcely believe he had heard aright.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
not in action or at work
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
inducedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈduːst/
brought about or caused; not spontaneous
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
jokedverbUS /dʒoʊkt/
past form of “joke” — tell a joke; speak humorously
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
Maas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
Maas's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
a particular point in time
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
an uneasy psychological state
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
on one occasion
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
palingnoun
a fence made of upright pickets
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
To recall to mind.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
saloonnounUS /səˈluːn/
a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
only a very short time before
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
skylightnounUS /ˈskaɪlaɪt/
a window in a roof to admit daylight
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
visiblyadverbUS /ˈvɪzəbli/
in a visible manner
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
at the time that
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
