Chapter XIII · Alex Plans a Night Adventure

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “I’m sure that he left a paper somewhere which tells about them,” was the boy’s reply.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

plural of “bond” — an electrical force linking atoms

From this reading “How, for instance, did he know that you would ever find the bonds in the strong room?”

possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading “I’m sure that he left a paper somewhere which tells about them,” was the boy’s reply.

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

a boy or man

From this reading “That uncle of yours must have been a quaint old chap,” Clay said, laughingly.

a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired

From this reading “That uncle of yours must have been a quaint old chap,” Clay said, laughingly.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

someone authorized to exercise the powers of sheriff in emergencies

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading “How, for instance, did he know that you would ever find the bonds in the strong room?”

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

at any time

From this reading “How, for instance, did he know that you would ever find the bonds in the strong room?”

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading “How, for instance, did he know that you would ever find the bonds in the strong room?”

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “That uncle of yours must have been a quaint old chap,” Clay said, laughingly.

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “I’m sure that he left a paper somewhere which tells about them,” was the boy’s reply.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

an occurrence of something

From this reading “How, for instance, did he know that you would ever find the bonds in the strong room?”

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading “How, for instance, did he know that you would ever find the bonds in the strong room?”

with laughter; while laughing

From this reading “That uncle of yours must have been a quaint old chap,” Clay said, laughingly.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading “I’m sure that he left a paper somewhere which tells about them,” was the boy’s reply.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “That uncle of yours must have been a quaint old chap,” Clay said, laughingly.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading “That uncle of yours must have been a quaint old chap,” Clay said, laughingly.

above and across; more than

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

a future prospect or potential

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

strange in an interesting or pleasing way

From this reading “That uncle of yours must have been a quaint old chap,” Clay said, laughingly.

a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation

From this reading “I’m sure that he left a paper somewhere which tells about them,” was the boy’s reply.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading “How, for instance, did he know that you would ever find the bonds in the strong room?”

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “That uncle of yours must have been a quaint old chap,” Clay said, laughingly.

get by special effort

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

in or at or to some place

From this reading “I’m sure that he left a paper somewhere which tells about them,” was the boy’s reply.

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading “How, for instance, did he know that you would ever find the bonds in the strong room?”

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading “I’m sure that he left a paper somewhere which tells about them,” was the boy’s reply.

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

plural of “tell” — a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer

From this reading “I’m sure that he left a paper somewhere which tells about them,” was the boy’s reply.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “That uncle of yours must have been a quaint old chap,” Clay said, laughingly.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The boys talked over the possibility of King having the third paper for a long time.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading “That uncle of yours must have been a quaint old chap,” Clay said, laughingly.

except if; if not

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “I’m sure that he left a paper somewhere which tells about them,” was the boy’s reply.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading They could not see how the deputy had been able to secure it, if he had done so, unless he had discovered it in the cellar, which seemed to them to be highly improbable.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “How, for instance, did he know that you would ever find the bonds in the strong room?”

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “How, for instance, did he know that you would ever find the bonds in the strong room?”

the one or ones belonging to the person spoken to

From this reading “That uncle of yours must have been a quaint old chap,” Clay said, laughingly.