used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
(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 This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
any thing at all
From this reading They were harmless, he chuckled, and if anything, helped Howard's cause.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
bankernounUS /ˈbæŋkər/
a financier who owns or is an executive in a bank
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
Brewster
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading They were harmless, he chuckled, and if anything, helped Howard's cause.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
chuckledverbUS /ˈtʃʌkəld/
past form of “chuckle” — laugh quietly or with restraint
From this reading They were harmless, he chuckled, and if anything, helped Howard's cause.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
contradictionnounUS /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkʃən/
opposition between two conflicting forces or ideas
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
persuaded of; very sure
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
defendantnounUS /dɪˈfendənt/
a person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
characterized by great determination
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
a social unit living together
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
harmlessadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrmləs/
not causing or capable of causing harm
From this reading They were harmless, he chuckled, and if anything, helped Howard's cause.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were harmless, he chuckled, and if anything, helped Howard's cause.
past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading They were harmless, he chuckled, and if anything, helped Howard's cause.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Meantime, he himself had not been idle.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
hourlyadjectiveUS /ˈaʊrli/
occurring every hour or payable by the hour
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
HowardnounUS /ˈhaʊərd/
English actor of stage and screen (1893-1943)
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
Howard'snounUS /ˈhaʊərdz/
possessive form of “howard” — English actor of stage and screen (1893-1943)
From this reading They were harmless, he chuckled, and if anything, helped Howard's cause.
not in action or at work
From this reading Meantime, he himself had not been idle.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
of the present time and place
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
the quality of innocent naivete
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
Jeffries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
determine the result of (a competition)
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
the time between one event, process, or period and another
From this reading Meantime, he himself had not been idle.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
absolutely essential
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
information about recent and important events
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Meantime, he himself had not been idle.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
go across or through
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
reconciliationnounUS /ˌrekənsɪliˈeɪʃən/
the reestablishing of cordial relations
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
reportsnounUS /rɪˈpɔːrts/
plural of “report” — a written document describing the findings of some individual or group
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
revivalnounUS /rɪˈvaɪvəl/
bringing again into activity and prominence
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
RumornounUS /ˈruːmər/
gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
except for; apart from
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
marked by correspondence or resemblance
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
slackenverbUS /ˈslækən/
become slow or slower
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
son'snounUS /sʌnz/
possessive form of “son” — a male human offspring
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
use up a period of time in a specific way
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
stimulationnounUS /ˌstɪmjəˈleɪʃən/
the act of arousing an organism to action
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save him.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were harmless, he chuckled, and if anything, helped Howard's cause.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
the act of testing something
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
untrueadjectiveUS /ənˈtruː/
not according with the facts
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
wildfirenounUS /ˈwaɪldfaɪər/
a raging and rapidly spreading conflagration
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning to slacken for want of hourly stimulation.
