used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
accidentallyadverbUS /ˌæksəˈdentəli/
without advance planning
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
adjoiningverbUS /əˈdʒɔɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “adjoin” — lie adjacent to another or share a boundary
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
aggravatedadjectiveUS /ˈæɡrəveɪtɪd/
made more severe or intense especially in law
From this reading "I confess I know not, for your last mistake has greatly aggravated the situation."
alternativeadjectiveUS /ɔːlˈtɜːrnətɪv/
serving or used in place of another
From this reading "But, William, what other alternative offers us any hope?"
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "But, William, what other alternative offers us any hope?"
a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
bunknounUS /bʌŋk/
a long trough for feeding cattle
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But, William, what other alternative offers us any hope?"
CONFERENCEnounUS /ˈkɑːnfərəns/
a prearranged meeting for consultation or exchange of information or discussion (especially one with a formal agenda)
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure
From this reading "I confess I know not, for your last mistake has greatly aggravated the situation."
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "I confess I know not, for your last mistake has greatly aggravated the situation."
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
to an extraordinary extent or degree
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I confess I know not, for your last mistake has greatly aggravated the situation."
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading "But, William, what other alternative offers us any hope?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "I confess I know not, for your last mistake has greatly aggravated the situation."
immediately past
From this reading "I confess I know not, for your last mistake has greatly aggravated the situation."
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading "I confess I know not, for your last mistake has greatly aggravated the situation."
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I confess I know not, for your last mistake has greatly aggravated the situation."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
offersnounUS /ˈɔːfərz/
plural of “offer” — the verbal act of offering
From this reading "But, William, what other alternative offers us any hope?"
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading "But, William, what other alternative offers us any hope?"
overheardverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhɜːrd/
inflected form of “overhear” — hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
RESOLVEverbUS /riˈzɑːlv/
bring to an end; settle conclusively
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
cut with a saw
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
seeminglyadverbUS /ˈsiːmɪŋli/
from appearances alone
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading "I confess I know not, for your last mistake has greatly aggravated the situation."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "But, William, what other alternative offers us any hope?"
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/
void of intelligence or thought
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
precisely as stated
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As I glanced about me I saw the room was vacant; so I knew the conference thus accidentally overheard must be taking place in an adjoining apartment.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "But, William, what other alternative offers us any hope?"
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But, William, what other alternative offers us any hope?"
accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
the words that are spoken
From this reading I sat up hastily, for seemingly these words were spoken at the very side of the bunk on which I lay.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading A CONFERENCE AND A RESOLVE "To my mind, the risk would be extreme; and I greatly doubt the wisdom of the step."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I confess I know not, for your last mistake has greatly aggravated the situation."
