used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
accidentsnounUS /ˈæksədənts/
plural of “accident” — an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
the lower side of anything
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
plural of “case” — an occurrence of something
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
cliffsnounUS /klɪfs/
plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
conjecturenounUS /kənˈdʒektʃər/
a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
a small house with a single story
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
crimesnounUS /kraɪmz/
plural of “crime” — (criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
darklingadjective
uncannily or threateningly dark or obscure
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
deathsnounUS /deθs/
plural of “death” — the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
a social unit living together
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
set up or found
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
a young female
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
hideousadjectiveUS /ˈhɪdiəs/
grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
hidingnounUS /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of keeping something secret
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
HighwaynounUS /ˈhaɪweɪ/
a major road for any form of motor transport
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
provoking horror
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
intense and profound fear
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
a small worthless amount
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
laborernounUS /ˈleɪbərər/
someone who works with their hands; someone engaged in manual labor
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
for more time
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
luredverbUS /lʊrd/
past form of “lure” — provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
madmannounUS /ˈmædmæn/
an insane person
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
engage in
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
marshnounUS /mɑːrʃ/
low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
Meirion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
the force of workers available
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
murderedadjectiveUS /ˈmɜːrdərd/
killed unlawfully
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
not any; not one
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
oozenounUS /uːz/
any thick, viscous matter
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
outlinenounUS /ˈaʊtlaɪn/
the line that appears to bound an object
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
a strong feeling or emotion
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
pervertverbUS /ˈpɜːrvərt/
corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
pretendverbUS /priˈtend/
make believe with the intent to deceive
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
prowled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
purposelessadjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrpəsləs/
not evidencing any purpose or goal
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
quarrynounUS /ˈkwɔːri/
a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
RippernounUS /ˈrɪpər/
a murderer who slashes the victims with a knife
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
the act of searching for something
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
suppositionnounUS /ˌsʌpəˈzɪʃən/
a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
variantnounUS /ˈveriənt/
an event that departs from expectations
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
victimsnounUS /ˈvɪktəmz/
plural of “victim” — an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
which person or people
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
