used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There were a dozen unpleasant possibilities, and I had explored them all.
alarmingadjectiveUS /əˈlɑːrmɪŋ/
frightening because of an awareness of danger
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
(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 All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
next to; at the side of
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But luck had held for me throughout that evening.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading There were a dozen unpleasant possibilities, and I had explored them all.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading But luck had held for me throughout that evening.
exploredverbUS /ɪkˈsplɔːrd/
past form of “explore” — inquire into
From this reading There were a dozen unpleasant possibilities, and I had explored them all.
foldnounUS /foʊld/
an angular or rounded shape made by folding
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But luck had held for me throughout that evening.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading But luck had held for me throughout that evening.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
a social unit living together
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
and nothing more
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading But luck had held for me throughout that evening.
McNab's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
needingverbUS /ˈniːdɪŋ/
-ing form of “need” — require as useful, just, or proper
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
a brief written record
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
by chance
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
picturedadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərd/
seen in the mind as a mental image
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
possibilitiesnounUS /ˌpɑːsəˈbɪlətiz/
plural of “possibility” — a future prospect or potential
From this reading There were a dozen unpleasant possibilities, and I had explored them all.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
regularlyadverbUS /ˈreɡjələrli/
in a regular manner
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
in the near future
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But luck had held for me throughout that evening.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There were a dozen unpleasant possibilities, and I had explored them all.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were a dozen unpleasant possibilities, and I had explored them all.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading But luck had held for me throughout that evening.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
thumpingnounUS /ˈθʌmpɪŋ/
a heavy dull sound (as made by impact of heavy objects)
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
traynounUS /treɪ/
an open receptacle for holding or displaying or serving articles or food
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness
From this reading There were a dozen unpleasant possibilities, and I had explored them all.
untouchedadjectiveUS /ənˈtʌtʃt/
still full
From this reading She lay just as I had left her hours before, breathing deeply and regularly: the tray was untouched beside her, the note in its original fold.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
an act of traveling by water
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
wakingadjectiveUS /ˈweɪ.kɪŋ/
Risen from sleep; conscious.
From this reading All through our voyage I had pictured her waking up and needing me: perhaps alarming the household, perhaps thrown into anxiety by reading my note.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading AS soon as I was in dry things I slipped into Mrs. McNab’s room, my heart thumping.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were a dozen unpleasant possibilities, and I had explored them all.
