used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DUEL OF WORDS.
absentlyadverb
in an absentminded or preoccupied manner
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
aversionnounUS /əˈvɜːrʒən/
a feeling of intense dislike
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading A LONGISH pause ensued between the two men.
the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail)
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
Claude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
concludeverbUS /kənˈkluːd/
decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
a relation between things or events (as in the case of one causing the other or sharing features with it)
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
gotten under control
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
continue a certain state, condition, or activity
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
DUELnounUS /ˈduːəl/
a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor
From this reading A DUEL OF WORDS.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
ensuedverbUS /ɪnˈsuːd/
past form of “ensue” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end
From this reading A LONGISH pause ensued between the two men.
episodenounUS /ˈepəsoʊd/
a happening that is distinctive in a series of related events
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
plural of “fact” — a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
fictitiousadjectiveUS /fɪkˈtɪʃəs/
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
frequentverbUS /ˈfriːkwənt/
do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
Hilliston
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
Horriston
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
instrumentaladjectiveUS /ˌɪnstrəˈmentəl/
relating to or designed for or performed on musical instruments
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
the quality of being just or fair
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
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 From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
LONGISHadjectiveUS /ˈlɔːŋɪʃ/
somewhat long
From this reading A LONGISH pause ensued between the two men.
the force of workers available
From this reading A LONGISH pause ensued between the two men.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
murderernounUS /ˈmɜːrdərər/
a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being)
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
not any; not one
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A DUEL OF WORDS.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading A LONGISH pause ensued between the two men.
ponderedverbUS /ˈpɑːndərd/
past form of “ponder” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
rightlyadverbUS /ˈraɪtli/
with honesty
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
scarfpinnoun
a pin used to hold the tie in place
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
Tait
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
talksnounUS /tɔːks/
a discussion intended to produce an agreement
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A LONGISH pause ensued between the two men.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading A LONGISH pause ensued between the two men.
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The two facts seemed to have some connection with each other, but what the connection might be Claude could not rightly conclude.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading From his frequent talks with Tait he knew that the third volume contained the episode of the scarfpin, which was instrumental in bringing the fictitious murderer to justice.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Hilliston seemed to be in no hurry to continue the conversation, and Claude, with his eyes fixed absently on his glass, pondered over the facts that Mrs. Hilliston had an aversion to Horriston, and that the lawyer had taken the third volume of the novel out of the house.
the words that are spoken
From this reading A DUEL OF WORDS.
