used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
Alice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
Alice's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S What had happened was very simple.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
confessionalnounUS /kənˈfeʃənəl/
a booth where a priest sits to hear confessions
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
Coquenil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
a young female
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
Groener
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
an established custom
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S What had happened was very simple.
HAIRDRESSER'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S What had happened was very simple.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S What had happened was very simple.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
lengthsnounUS /leŋkθs/
plural of “length” — the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
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 The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
a particular point in time
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
necessitatedverbUS /nəˈsesəteɪtəd/
past form of “necessitate” — require as useful, just, or proper
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
the act of making and recording a measurement
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
owingadjectiveUS /ˈoʊɪŋ/
owed as a debt
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
go across or through
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
a human being
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
removalnounUS /rɪˈmuːvəl/
the act of removing
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
repairsnounUS /rɪˈperz/
plural of “repair” — the act of putting something in working order again
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
replacedverbUS /ˌriːˈpleɪst/
past form of “replace” — substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected)
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
sacristynoun
a room in a church where sacred vessels and vestments are kept or meetings are held
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S What had happened was very simple.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
supportingadjectiveUS /səˈpɔːrtɪŋ/
furnishing support and encouragement
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
temporarilyadverbUS /ˌtempərˈerəli/
for a limited time only; not permanently
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S What had happened was very simple.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
timbersnounUS /ˈtɪmbərz/
plural of “timber” — the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading These repairs had necessitated the removal of several large stones, replaced temporarily by lengths of supporting timbers between which a person might easily pass.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
the act of using
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
having passed out of existence
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
precisely as stated
From this reading AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S What had happened was very simple.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S What had happened was very simple.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The girl had entered the confessional in the usual way, had remained there long enough to let Groener hear her voice, and had then slipped out through the open wall into the sacristy passage beyond.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S What had happened was very simple.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The confessional box from which Alice had vanished was one not in use at the moment, owing to repairs in the wall behind it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Coquenil, with his habit of careful observation, had remarked this fact during his night in the church, and now he had taken advantage of it to effect Alice's escape.
