Chapter XXIII · Caught in the Act

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

slightly open

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Wait till the milk-wagons and market-wagons are on the street.”

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

not in a state of sleep; completely conscious

From this reading “The police may have been warned, and we will need to be wide awake.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading “The police may have been warned, and we will need to be wide awake.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “The police may have been warned, and we will need to be wide awake.

an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact

From this reading “Don’t move till near morning,” said one of them cautiously.

-ing form of “converse” — carry on a conversation

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

(plural) the deepest and most remote part

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

forsaken by owner or inhabitants

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “Don’t move till near morning,” said one of them cautiously.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

the act of forming or establishing something

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “The police may have been warned, and we will need to be wide awake.

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

and nothing more

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

United States writer of thrillers (born in 1925)

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wait till the milk-wagons and market-wagons are on the street.”

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading “The police may have been warned, and we will need to be wide awake.

the force of workers available

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wait till the milk-wagons and market-wagons are on the street.”

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading “Don’t move till near morning,” said one of them cautiously.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading “Don’t move till near morning,” said one of them cautiously.

a form of address for a man

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading “Don’t move till near morning,” said one of them cautiously.

a condition requiring relief

From this reading “The police may have been warned, and we will need to be wide awake.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

sporadically and infrequently

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Don’t move till near morning,” said one of them cautiously.

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

the force of policemen and officers

From this reading “The police may have been warned, and we will need to be wide awake.

a member of a police force

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

the back of a military formation or procession

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

larceny by threat of violence

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Don’t move till near morning,” said one of them cautiously.

except for; apart from

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

having a supporting base

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

plural of “store” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading “Don’t move till near morning,” said one of them cautiously.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.

up to a particular time

From this reading “Don’t move till near morning,” said one of them cautiously.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading “The police may have been warned, and we will need to be wide awake.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The stores of Mr. Leonard and of Brown and Felger opened upon a narrow street, deserted at night, save that occasionally a passing policeman gazed down its dark depths.

stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading Wait till the milk-wagons and market-wagons are on the street.”

past form of “warn” — notify of danger, potential harm, or risk

From this reading “The police may have been warned, and we will need to be wide awake.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “The police may have been warned, and we will need to be wide awake.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading “The police may have been warned, and we will need to be wide awake.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading On the night of the robbery, however, the three men Will had seen stood conversing just inside the rear door of Brown and Felger’s establishment, the door standing ajar.