used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He determined then and there to constitute himself a vigilance committee of one to watch the stranger closely.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
(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 “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
CapesnounUS /keɪps/
plural of “cape” — a strip of land projecting into a body of water
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
in a close relation or position in time or space
From this reading He determined then and there to constitute himself a vigilance committee of one to watch the stranger closely.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
committeenounUS /kəˈmɪti/
a special group delegated to consider some matter
From this reading He determined then and there to constitute himself a vigilance committee of one to watch the stranger closely.
-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
constituteverbUS /ˈkɑːnstətuːt/
form or compose
From this reading He determined then and there to constitute himself a vigilance committee of one to watch the stranger closely.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
characterized by great determination
From this reading He determined then and there to constitute himself a vigilance committee of one to watch the stranger closely.
Dick'snounUS /dɪks/
possessive form of “dick” — someone who is a detective
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
embraceverbUS /emˈbreɪs/
include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
gaped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
the act of giving
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
hasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
Horner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
identitynounUS /aɪˈdentɪtiː/
the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
impostornounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːstər/
a person who makes deceitful pretenses
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
and nothing more
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
LESLIE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
not any; not one
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He determined then and there to constitute himself a vigilance committee of one to watch the stranger closely.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
rascalnounUS /ˈræskəl/
a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
unusual or striking
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
cut with a saw
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
sheeradjectiveUS /ʃɪr/
complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
suspiciousadjectiveUS /səˈspɪʃəs/
openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
express in words
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “It may be all right,” he muttered to himself, “but that old rascal looks like an impostor to me.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading LESLIE ON GUARD Leslie Capes, coming around the corner of the house just then, gaped in sheer amazement at the remarkable picture before him.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He determined then and there to constitute himself a vigilance committee of one to watch the stranger closely.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
ventnounUS /vent/
a hole for the escape of gas or air
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
vigilancenounUS /ˈvɪdʒələns/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading He determined then and there to constitute himself a vigilance committee of one to watch the stranger closely.
look attentively
From this reading He determined then and there to constitute himself a vigilance committee of one to watch the stranger closely.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
at the time that
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
the words that are spoken
From this reading And when he saw Dick’s sweet little mother, after giving vent to those words, embrace the shabby looking stranger as though she at least had no doubt concerning his identity, Leslie shook his head in his suspicious way.
a late time of life
From this reading How can Mrs. Horner tell whether it’s her brother or not, when she hasn’t seen him for so many years?”
