used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
any thing at all
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As methodically he leant down and rolled up the tools, placing them in his pocket; he pushed the door open, and entered.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
Costa's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
deliberatelyadverbUS /dɪˈlɪbərətli/
with intention; in an intentional manner
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
detectionnounUS /dɪˈtekʃən/
the perception that something has occurred or some state exists
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/
housing that someone is living in
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
electricadjectiveUS /ɪˈlektrɪk/
using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading As methodically he leant down and rolled up the tools, placing them in his pocket; he pushed the door open, and entered.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
forcingverbUS /ˈfɔːrsɪŋ/
-ing form of “force” — to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
gainingverbUS /ˈɡeɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
in a gradual manner
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
hallwaynounUS /ˈhɔːlweɪ/
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
indicationnounUS /ˌɪndəˈkeɪʃən/
something that serves to indicate or suggest
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
kitnounUS /kɪt/
a case for containing a set of articles
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
kit's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
leantverbUS /ˈliːənt/
inflected form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
fasten with a lock
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
maskedadjectiveUS /mæskt/
having its true character concealed with the intent of misleading
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
methodicallyadverbUS /məˈθɑːdɪkəli/
in a methodical manner
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
a particular point in time
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
not any; not one
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading As methodically he leant down and rolled up the tools, placing them in his pocket; he pushed the door open, and entered.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
placingverbUS /ˈpleɪsɪŋ/
-ing form of “place” — put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading As methodically he leant down and rolled up the tools, placing them in his pocket; he pushed the door open, and entered.
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading As methodically he leant down and rolled up the tools, placing them in his pocket; he pushed the door open, and entered.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading As methodically he leant down and rolled up the tools, placing them in his pocket; he pushed the door open, and entered.
characterized by socially or conventionally acceptable morals
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading As methodically he leant down and rolled up the tools, placing them in his pocket; he pushed the door open, and entered.
selectedadjectiveUS /səˈlektɪd/
chosen in preference to another
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading As methodically he leant down and rolled up the tools, placing them in his pocket; he pushed the door open, and entered.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
very small
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
toolsnounUS /tuːlz/
plural of “tool” — an implement used in the practice of a vocation
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
a source of difficulty
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading As methodically he leant down and rolled up the tools, placing them in his pocket; he pushed the door open, and entered.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
precisely as stated
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity
From this reading He took some trouble to avoid anything in the nature of a violent noise, and it was half an hour before the lock, and a portion of the door, came away very gently in his hand.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He carried a little tiny kit of tools which he had spread upon the ground, and from time to time he leant down and selected one of these by the light of a small electric lamp which he flashed for a moment upon the kit’s contents.
which person or people
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
Whoever
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading He had no difficulty in forcing another door, or in gaining the wide hallway which formed the principal entrance to the house.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading Whoever the masked man was who was working so deliberately at the back door of Mr. de Costa’s respectable dwelling, he went to work methodically and without any indication that he feared detection.
