used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
assistedadjectiveUS /əˈsɪstɪd/
having help; often used as a combining form
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading Long the detective lay awake in his pleasant bedroom that overlooked the sea.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading Long the detective lay awake in his pleasant bedroom that overlooked the sea.
the act of breaking something
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
burglarsnounUS /ˈbɜːrɡlərz/
plural of “burglar” — a thief who enters a building with intent to steal
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
a steep high face of rock
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
dependentadjectiveUS /dɪˈpendənt/
relying on or requiring a person or thing for support, supply, or what is needed
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading Long the detective lay awake in his pleasant bedroom that overlooked the sea.
characterized by great determination
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
Headlandnoun
a natural elevation (especially a rocky one that juts out into the sea)
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Long the detective lay awake in his pleasant bedroom that overlooked the sea.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
It's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Long the detective lay awake in his pleasant bedroom that overlooked the sea.
lockingnounUS /ˈlɑːkɪŋ/
the act of locking something up to protect it
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Long the detective lay awake in his pleasant bedroom that overlooked the sea.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
Minna
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
mysteriesnounUS /ˈmɪstəriz/
plural of “mystery” — something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
obsessionnounUS /əbˈseʃən/
an irrational motive for performing trivial or repetitive actions, even against your will
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
overlookedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊvərlʊkt/
not taken into account
From this reading Long the detective lay awake in his pleasant bedroom that overlooked the sea.
Pennington
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading Long the detective lay awake in his pleasant bedroom that overlooked the sea.
the act of having and controlling property
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
responsibleadjectiveUS /riˈspɑːnsəbəl/
worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Long the detective lay awake in his pleasant bedroom that overlooked the sea.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The money that Minna had in her possession he took charge of, saying he would be responsible for its safety.
tossingverbUS /ˈtɔːsɪŋ/
-ing form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading He could hear the great waves tossing and breaking at the foot of the cliff and he couldn’t free his mind from a queer obsession to the effect that those waves held the secret of the mysteries of Headland House.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading “It’s too absurd,” he thought to himself in the darkness, “but I do feel that the whole matter is dependent in some way or other on the cliff and the sea.”
having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Pennington Wise himself assisted in the locking up of the house that night, for he was determined if any more burglars came, he would know how they got in.
