used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
ankle-ring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
Benson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
chainedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪnd/
bound with chains
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading It was a curious place in which young Benson lay, a place with a strange history.
driedadjectiveUS /draɪd/
not still wet
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading His hands were still manacled.
come to pass
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His hands were still manacled.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading It was a curious place in which young Benson lay, a place with a strange history.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a curious place in which young Benson lay, a place with a strange history.
a small worthless amount
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
manacled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hands were still manacled.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
pilenounUS /paɪl/
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading It was a curious place in which young Benson lay, a place with a strange history.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
securelyadverbUS /sɪˈkjʊrli/
in a secure manner; in a manner free from danger
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
SPIESnounUS /spaɪz/
plural of “spy” — (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
staplenounUS /ˈsteɪpəl/
(usually in the plural) a necessary commodity for which demand is constant
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
not in physical motion
From this reading His hands were still manacled.
dependable
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It was a curious place in which young Benson lay, a place with a strange history.
submarinenounUS /ˈsʌbməriːn/
a submersible warship usually armed with torpedoes
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IN THE POWER OF THE SPIES Something had, indeed, "happened" to Jack Benson, and much more was likely to happen.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His hands were still manacled.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a curious place in which young Benson lay, a place with a strange history.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was a curious place in which young Benson lay, a place with a strange history.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading Worse, one of his feet now had an ankle-ring fastened securely, and this was chained to a stout staple driven in the floor.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The young submarine captain lay on a pile of dried grass that had been thrown on a board floor.
