used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
pleasantly occupied
From this reading Fred's expression was half amused, half puzzled.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
BELLWOOD
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading Only Fred, Edith and I came down to breakfast that morning.
broodingnounUS /ˈbruːdɪŋ/
sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
Butler'snounUS /ˈbʌtlərz/
possessive form of “butler” — a manservant (usually the head servant of a household) who has charge of wines and the table
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Only Fred, Edith and I came down to breakfast that morning.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
chloroformed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Only Fred, Edith and I came down to breakfast that morning.
Edith
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Fred, Edith and I came down to breakfast that morning.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Fred's expression was half amused, half puzzled.
opinion or judgment
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
FlemingnounUS /ˈflemɪŋ/
British writer famous for writing spy novels about secret agent James Bond (1908-1964)
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
flutteredverbUS /ˈflʌtərd/
past form of “flutter” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
Fred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Fred, Edith and I came down to breakfast that morning.
Fred's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fred's expression was half amused, half puzzled.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading I was preoccupied, and, like Fred, I propped the morning paper in front of me and proceeded to think in its shelter.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Fred's expression was half amused, half puzzled.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Only Fred, Edith and I came down to breakfast that morning.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I was preoccupied, and, like Fred, I propped the morning paper in front of me and proceeded to think in its shelter.
inabilitynounUS /ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti/
lack of ability (especially mental ability) to do something
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading I was preoccupied, and, like Fred, I propped the morning paper in front of me and proceeded to think in its shelter.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading I was preoccupied, and, like Fred, I propped the morning paper in front of me and proceeded to think in its shelter.
any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
Margery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I was preoccupied, and, like Fred, I propped the morning paper in front of me and proceeded to think in its shelter.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Only Fred, Edith and I came down to breakfast that morning.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
and nothing more
From this reading Only Fred, Edith and I came down to breakfast that morning.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading I was preoccupied, and, like Fred, I propped the morning paper in front of me and proceeded to think in its shelter.
preoccupiedadjectiveUS /priˈɑːkjəpaɪd/
deeply absorbed in thought
From this reading I was preoccupied, and, like Fred, I propped the morning paper in front of me and proceeded to think in its shelter.
past form of “proceed” — continue talking
From this reading I was preoccupied, and, like Fred, I propped the morning paper in front of me and proceeded to think in its shelter.
proppedverbUS /prɑːpt/
inflected form of “prop” — support by placing against something solid or rigid
From this reading I was preoccupied, and, like Fred, I propped the morning paper in front of me and proceeded to think in its shelter.
filled with bewilderment
From this reading Fred's expression was half amused, half puzzled.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
characterized by socially or conventionally acceptable morals
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
ribbonnounUS /ˈrɪbən/
any long object resembling a thin line
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading I was preoccupied, and, like Fred, I propped the morning paper in front of me and proceeded to think in its shelter.
express in words
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Only Fred, Edith and I came down to breakfast that morning.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I was preoccupied, and, like Fred, I propped the morning paper in front of me and proceeded to think in its shelter.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
uneasilyadverbUS /əˈniːzəli/
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading Edith fluttered uneasily over the coffee machine, her cheeks as red as the bow of ribbon at her throat.
precisely as stated
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Fred's expression was half amused, half puzzled.
a Caucasian
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
which person or people
From this reading BACK TO BELLWOOD The inability of Margery Fleming to tell who had chloroformed her, and Mrs. Butler's white face and brooding eyes made a very respectable mystery out of the affair.
