used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
absurditynounUS /əbˈsɜːrdəti/
a message whose content is at variance with reason
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
beseechinglyadverb
in a beseeching manner
From this reading Vicki glanced beseechingly toward the grandmother.
Bryant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
doubtsnounUS /daʊts/
plural of “doubt” — the state of being unsure of something
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
plural of “effort” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
a young female
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Vicki glanced beseechingly toward the grandmother.
gottenverbUS /ˈɡɑːtən/
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading Vicki glanced beseechingly toward the grandmother.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Very, very slightly, Mrs. Bryant shook her head.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
impertinentadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɜːrtənənt/
characterized by a lightly pert and exuberant quality
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
justifyverbUS /ˈdʒʌstəfaɪ/
show to be right by providing justification or proof
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
incomplete skeleton of female found in eastern Ethiopia in 1974
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
a particular point in time
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
professionaladjectiveUS /prəˈfeʃənəl/
engaged in a profession or engaging in as a profession or means of livelihood
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
Rowe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading Very, very slightly, Mrs. Bryant shook her head.
shrankverbUS /ʃræŋk/
inflected form of “shrink” — wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading Very, very slightly, Mrs. Bryant shook her head.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
express in words
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The lawyer looked so cold, so professional, that her own small efforts to find Lucy shrank to absurdity.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Vicki glanced beseechingly toward the grandmother.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
precisely as stated
From this reading Very, very slightly, Mrs. Bryant shook her head.
Vicki
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
Vicki's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
WitsnounUS /wɪts/
the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception
From this reading _A Game of Wits_ For a moment Vicki wished she had never gotten mixed up in the search for Lucy Rowe.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading How impertinent she would appear if Mrs. Bryant happened to tell about Vicki’s search--how difficult it would be to justify to the lawyer her doubts about _this_ girl.
