used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading How long had he been waiting here for her to come back?
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading How long had he been waiting here for her to come back?
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
colonel'snounUS /ˈkɜːrnəlz/
possessive form of “colonel” — a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading How long had he been waiting here for her to come back?
compoundnounUS /ˈkɑːmpaʊnd/
a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
CoventrynounUS /ˈkʌvəntri/
the state of being banished or ostracized (excluded from society by general consent)
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
deceivedverbUS /dɪˈsiːvd/
past form of “deceive” — be false to; be dishonest with
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
dyingadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪɪŋ/
in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
divisible by two
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading How long had he been waiting here for her to come back?
gateless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading Why had George returned so much sooner than he had intended?
ghostlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊstli/
resembling or characteristic of a phantom
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
GreavesnounUS /ɡriːvz/
the residue that remains after animal fat has been rendered
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
an informal term for a youth or man
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Why had George returned so much sooner than he had intended?
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Why had George returned so much sooner than he had intended?
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading How long had he been waiting here for her to come back?
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How long had he been waiting here for her to come back?
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading Why had George returned so much sooner than he had intended?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
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 How long had he been waiting here for her to come back?
a particular point in time
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Why had George returned so much sooner than he had intended?
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
the middle of the day
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
OUTCOMEnounUS /ˈaʊtkʌm/
something that results
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
detected by instinct or inference rather than by recognized perceptual cues
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
pillarsnounUS /ˈpɪlərz/
plural of “pillar” — a fundamental principle or practice
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
realisedadjectiveUS /ˈriːəlaɪzd/
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Why had George returned so much sooner than he had intended?
sentinelled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
in an aggressive manner
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Why had George returned so much sooner than he had intended?
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading Why had George returned so much sooner than he had intended?
having a supporting base
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
believed likely
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Why had George returned so much sooner than he had intended?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
the upper part of anything
From this reading Standing at the top of the steps they perceived a tall figure, familiar even in the ghostly light of a dying noon.
Trixie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading At first Trixie suspected that her imagination must have deceived her; the next moment she realised that in truth it was her husband.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
verandanounUS /vərˈændə/
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading How long had he been waiting here for her to come back?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
whitewashedadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪtwɑːʃt/
coated with whitewash
From this reading THE OUTCOME Guy Greaves and Trixie Coventry drove through the gateless entrance to the colonel's compound, that was sentinelled by whitewashed pillars built of mud, and drew up sharply at the foot of the veranda steps.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why had George returned so much sooner than he had intended?
