used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
acknowledgingverbUS /ækˈnɑːlɪdʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “acknowledge” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading Reply by merely acknowledging the signal; no more.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
brisklyadverbUS /ˈbrɪskli/
in a brisk manner
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
BrookesnounUS /brʊks/
plural of “brooke” — English lyric poet (1887-1915)
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Reply by merely acknowledging the signal; no more.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
psychological suffering
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
DON'T
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/
(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
GAUNTLETnounUS /ˈɡɔːntlət/
to offer or accept a challenge
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When the lieutenant had retired the captain turned to his officers.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When the lieutenant had retired the captain turned to his officers.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
a commissioned military officer
From this reading When the lieutenant had retired the captain turned to his officers.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
and nothing more
From this reading Reply by merely acknowledging the signal; no more.
a particular point in time
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Reply by merely acknowledging the signal; no more.
a form of address for a man
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
not any; not one
From this reading Reply by merely acknowledging the signal; no more.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading When the lieutenant had retired the captain turned to his officers.
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading Reply by merely acknowledging the signal; no more.
to give an account or representation of in words
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
no longer active in your work or profession
From this reading When the lieutenant had retired the captain turned to his officers.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
transport commercially
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading Reply by merely acknowledging the signal; no more.
SinclairnounUS /sɪnˈkler/
United States writer whose novels argued for social reform (1878-1968)
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
moved around an axis or center
From this reading When the lieutenant had retired the captain turned to his officers.
undocked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
uneasinessnounUS /ˌʌˈniːzinəs/
feelings of anxiety that make you tense and irritable
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
unpleasantnesses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
at the time that
From this reading When the lieutenant had retired the captain turned to his officers.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Then report to me the earliest moment at which the ship can be undocked."
in the company of; together with
From this reading "This is a strange business, gentlemen," he remarked, briskly, "though we must be prepared to deal with little unpleasantnesses of this sort.
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading RUNNING THE GAUNTLET "DON'T distress yourself, Mr. Sinclair," said Captain Brookes, "it may cause my guests considerable uneasiness.
