used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
eagerly desirous
From this reading And he would be quite as anxious to observe this code as the members would be anxious that he should observe it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And he would be quite as anxious to observe this code as the members would be anxious that he should observe it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A fellow didn’t care to enter where he was not wanted, and if he had been wanted, he would have been elected to membership.
be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
a youthful male person
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading A fellow didn’t care to enter where he was not wanted, and if he had been wanted, he would have been elected to membership.
a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
codenounUS /koʊd/
a set of rules or principles or laws (especially written ones)
From this reading And he would be quite as anxious to observe this code as the members would be anxious that he should observe it.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
electedadjectiveUS /ɪˈlektəd/
subject to popular election
From this reading A fellow didn’t care to enter where he was not wanted, and if he had been wanted, he would have been elected to membership.
to come or go into
From this reading A fellow didn’t care to enter where he was not wanted, and if he had been wanted, he would have been elected to membership.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading This open invasion of the privacy of the club was something wholly outside their experience.
a boy or man
From this reading A fellow didn’t care to enter where he was not wanted, and if he had been wanted, he would have been elected to membership.
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A fellow didn’t care to enter where he was not wanted, and if he had been wanted, he would have been elected to membership.
hailverbUS /heɪl/
praise vociferously
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
haltverbUS /hɔːlt/
cause to stop
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading A fellow didn’t care to enter where he was not wanted, and if he had been wanted, he would have been elected to membership.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
invasionnounUS /ˌɪnˈveɪʒən/
the act of invading; the act of an army that invades for conquest or plunder
From this reading This open invasion of the privacy of the club was something wholly outside their experience.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And he would be quite as anxious to observe this code as the members would be anxious that he should observe it.
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
membershipnounUS /ˈmembərʃɪp/
the body of members of an organization or group
From this reading A fellow didn’t care to enter where he was not wanted, and if he had been wanted, he would have been elected to membership.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
used to form the superlative
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
not in physical motion
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading A fellow didn’t care to enter where he was not wanted, and if he had been wanted, he would have been elected to membership.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading And he would be quite as anxious to observe this code as the members would be anxious that he should observe it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading This open invasion of the privacy of the club was something wholly outside their experience.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading This open invasion of the privacy of the club was something wholly outside their experience.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
privacynounUS /ˈpraɪvəsi/
the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others
From this reading This open invasion of the privacy of the club was something wholly outside their experience.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading And he would be quite as anxious to observe this code as the members would be anxious that he should observe it.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading And he would be quite as anxious to observe this code as the members would be anxious that he should observe it.
utter in a loud voice; talk in a loud voice (usually denoting characteristic manner of speaking)
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading This open invasion of the privacy of the club was something wholly outside their experience.
speechlessadjectiveUS /ˈspiːtʃləs/
temporarily incapable of speaking
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And he would be quite as anxious to observe this code as the members would be anxious that he should observe it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading This open invasion of the privacy of the club was something wholly outside their experience.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This open invasion of the privacy of the club was something wholly outside their experience.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading A fellow didn’t care to enter where he was not wanted, and if he had been wanted, he would have been elected to membership.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This open invasion of the privacy of the club was something wholly outside their experience.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
in or at the place that
From this reading A fellow didn’t care to enter where he was not wanted, and if he had been wanted, he would have been elected to membership.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There were seconds in which amazement held the members of the Safety First Club speechless and almost motionless.
which person or people
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading This open invasion of the privacy of the club was something wholly outside their experience.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading A boy who didn’t belong might call there, of course, if he wished to see one of the members; but he would be expected to halt outside and hail the club with a shout, or, at the most, to knock at the door and pause outside.
