used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
afootadverbUS /əˈfʊt/
on foot; walking
From this reading Something crooked was afoot among the bargemen, even as Willie had fancied might be the case.
agentnounUS /ˈeɪdʒənt/
an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Something crooked was afoot among the bargemen, even as Willie had fancied might be the case.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Something crooked was afoot among the bargemen, even as Willie had fancied might be the case.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
bargemen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Something crooked was afoot among the bargemen, even as Willie had fancied might be the case.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Something crooked was afoot among the bargemen, even as Willie had fancied might be the case.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
cardboardnounUS /ˈkɑːrdbɔːrd/
a stiff moderately thick paper
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
an occurrence of something
From this reading Something crooked was afoot among the bargemen, even as Willie had fancied might be the case.
comprehendedadjectiveUS /ˌkɑːmprɪˈhendɪd/
fully understood or grasped
From this reading Then he comprehended the situation.
crookedadjectiveUS /ˈkrʊkəd/
having or marked by bends or angles; not straight or aligned
From this reading Something crooked was afoot among the bargemen, even as Willie had fancied might be the case.
dumblyadverb
in a stupid manner
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
divisible by two
From this reading Something crooked was afoot among the bargemen, even as Willie had fancied might be the case.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading Something crooked was afoot among the bargemen, even as Willie had fancied might be the case.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Something crooked was afoot among the bargemen, even as Willie had fancied might be the case.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
paralyzedadjectiveUS /ˈperəlaɪzd/
affected with paralysis
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
work done by one person or group that benefits another
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
SheridannounUS /ˈʃerɪdən/
Irish playwright remembered for his satirical comedies of manners (1751-1816)
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading Then he comprehended the situation.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Something crooked was afoot among the bargemen, even as Willie had fancied might be the case.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For a moment he stood staring dumbly at the card in his hand.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he comprehended the situation.
trampnounUS /træmp/
a vagrant
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
which person or people
From this reading The man who had given him the cardboard was not a tramp, but a Secret Service agent; and his name was Sheridan.
Willie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
in the company of; together with
From this reading AN ADVENTURE WITH A SECRET SERVICE MAN Willie was fairly paralyzed with astonishment.
