used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
actionsnounUS /ˈækʃənz/
plural of “action” — something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading His own actions would bear out the contention that Marten had killed him in self-defense.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
have
From this reading His own actions would bear out the contention that Marten had killed him in self-defense.
buttverbUS /bʌt/
lie adjacent to another or share a boundary
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
a young person of either sex
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
condonedverbUS /kənˈdoʊnd/
past form of “condone” — excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
contentionnounUS /kənˈtenʃən/
a point asserted as part of an argument
From this reading His own actions would bear out the contention that Marten had killed him in self-defense.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
determine the number or amount of
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
From this reading If Marten shot him, there was reasonable probability that punishment might not follow the crime.
causing or capable of causing death
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
deedsnounUS /diːdz/
performance of moral or religious acts
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
doomedadjectiveUS /duːmd/
marked for certain death
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
divisible by two
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
promote over another
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading If Marten shot him, there was reasonable probability that punishment might not follow the crime.
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His own actions would bear out the contention that Marten had killed him in self-defense.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading If Marten shot him, there was reasonable probability that punishment might not follow the crime.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His own actions would bear out the contention that Marten had killed him in self-defense.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If Marten shot him, there was reasonable probability that punishment might not follow the crime.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
ingenuitynounUS /ˌɪndʒəˈnuːətiː/
the power of creative imagination
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading His own actions would bear out the contention that Marten had killed him in self-defense.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
the collection of rules imposed by authority
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
lawlessadjectiveUS /ˈlɔːləs/
without law or control
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
lawyersnounUS /ˈlɔːjərz/
plural of “lawyer” — a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
legaladjectiveUS /ˈliːɡəl/
established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
MartennounUS /ˈmɑːrtən/
agile slender-bodied arboreal mustelids somewhat larger than weasels
From this reading If Marten shot him, there was reasonable probability that punishment might not follow the crime.
Marten's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading If Marten shot him, there was reasonable probability that punishment might not follow the crime.
Nancy'snounUS /ˈnænsiz/
possessive form of “nancy” — a city in northeastern France in Lorraine
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading His own actions would bear out the contention that Marten had killed him in self-defense.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading His own actions would bear out the contention that Marten had killed him in self-defense.
palpablyadverbUS /ˈpælpəbli/
so as to be palpable
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
perilnounUS /ˈperəl/
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
probabilitynounUS /ˌprɑːbəˈbɪlətiː/
a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible
From this reading If Marten shot him, there was reasonable probability that punishment might not follow the crime.
the act of punishing
From this reading If Marten shot him, there was reasonable probability that punishment might not follow the crime.
reasonableadjectiveUS /ˈriːzənəbəl/
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading If Marten shot him, there was reasonable probability that punishment might not follow the crime.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
safeguardnounUS /ˈseɪfɡɑːrd/
a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
self-defensenounUS /ˌselfdɪˈfens/
the act of defending yourself
From this reading His own actions would bear out the contention that Marten had killed him in self-defense.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading If Marten shot him, there was reasonable probability that punishment might not follow the crime.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
in or at that place or location
From this reading If Marten shot him, there was reasonable probability that punishment might not follow the crime.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
twistverbUS /twɪst/
to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
unwrittenadjectiveUS /ənˈrɪtən/
based on custom rather than documentation
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
precisely as stated
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
a message informing of danger
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE PASSING OF THE STORM Marten's hand closed round the butt of the pistol, and, during a few seconds, Power thought that he was a doomed man.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
in or at the place that
From this reading Even in England, a land where deeds of violence are not condoned by lawless unwritten law, he knew he was in deadly peril.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading His own actions would bear out the contention that Marten had killed him in self-defense.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading He had palpably forced his way in; the warning letter from the New York lawyers would count against him; legal ingenuity could twist in Marten's favor the very means he was using to safeguard Nancy's child.
