used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
having companions or an escort
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was nothing for it but to hammer upon the panels, or--pick the lock.
charredverbUS /tʃɑːrd/
inflected form of “char” — burn to charcoal
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
Dacre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The doctor volunteered to do it.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading The doctor volunteered to do it.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
Fens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There was nothing for it but to hammer upon the panels, or--pick the lock.
fruitlessnessnoun
a lack of creative imagination
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
hammernounUS /ˈhæmər/
the part of a gunlock that strikes the percussion cap when the trigger is pulled
From this reading There was nothing for it but to hammer upon the panels, or--pick the lock.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The doctor volunteered to do it.
the act of departing
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
fasten with a lock
From this reading There was nothing for it but to hammer upon the panels, or--pick the lock.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
attach a tag or label to
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
Merriton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
subject to death
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
the condition of being essential or indispensable
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
Nigel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
Nigel's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
not any; not one
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was nothing for it but to hammer upon the panels, or--pick the lock.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
and nothing more
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There was nothing for it but to hammer upon the panels, or--pick the lock.
panelsnounUS /ˈpænəlz/
plural of “panel” — sheet that forms a distinct (usually flat and rectangular) section or component of something
From this reading There was nothing for it but to hammer upon the panels, or--pick the lock.
patchnounUS /pætʃ/
a small contrasting part of something
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
select carefully from a group
From this reading There was nothing for it but to hammer upon the panels, or--pick the lock.
recollectedverbUS /ˌrekəˈlektɪd/
past form of “recollect” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
any object that is left unused or still extant
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
searchersnounUS /ˈsɜːrtʃərz/
plural of “searcher” — someone making a search or inquiry
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
self-appointedadjective
designated or chosen by yourself
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was nothing for it but to hammer upon the panels, or--pick the lock.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
Tony
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
a just detectable amount
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
uninhabitedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪnˈhæbətɪd/
not having inhabitants; not lived in
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading There was nothing for it but to hammer upon the panels, or--pick the lock.
having passed out of existence
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
volunteeredverbUS /ˌvɑːlənˈtɪrd/
past form of “volunteer” — tell voluntarily
From this reading The doctor volunteered to do it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading Tony West accompanied him as far as Nigel's, and then he suddenly recollected that Merriton had locked it the night before.
belonging to which person
From this reading And Nigel Merriton, whose guest the man was, must of necessity be told the fruitlessness of the searchers' self-appointed task.
Wynne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE VICTIM Dacre Wynne had vanished, leaving behind him no trace of mortal remains, and only a patch of charred grass in the middle of the uninhabited Fens to mark the spot.
