used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
AREauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN!”
to a severe or serious degree
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
balustradenoun
a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
ChicknounUS /tʃɪk/
young bird especially of domestic fowl
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
comparativelyadverbUS /kəmˈperətɪvli/
in a relative manner; by comparison to something else
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
detectivesnounUS /dɪˈtektɪvz/
plural of “detective” — a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading The detectives paused just inside the door and listened intently.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The detectives paused just inside the door and listened intently.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading “HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN!”
fencedverbUS /fenst/
past form of “fence” — enclose with a fence
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
set up or found
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN!”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading The detectives paused just inside the door and listened intently.
intentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtentli/
with strained or eager attention
From this reading The detectives paused just inside the door and listened intently.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
and nothing more
From this reading The detectives paused just inside the door and listened intently.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading The detectives paused just inside the door and listened intently.
most important element
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
having or showing great strength or force or intensity
From this reading “HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN!”
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
NickverbUS /nɪk/
cut slightly, with a razor
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading The detectives paused just inside the door and listened intently.
repairnounUS /rɪˈper/
the act of putting something in working order again
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN!”
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
untenantedadjective
not leased to or occupied by a tenant
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The doors on the first floor were all closed and the rooms behind them appeared to be untenanted.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The house in which Nick and Chick found themselves had been a good one, but it was now badly in need of repair.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The main hall was comparatively wide for so narrow a building, and a heavy balustrade fenced off the stairs on one side.
