used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN INNOCENT BURGLAR.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/
aroused or activated
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
BURGLARnounUS /ˈbɝː.ɡlɚ/
A person who commits illegal entry into a building with intent to steal valuable treasures.
From this reading AN INNOCENT BURGLAR.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
Durrant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
executeverbUS /ˈeksəkjuːt/
kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
in a gradual manner
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
GusnounUS /ɡʌs/
plural of “gu” — the largest and southernmost island in the Marianas which is administered as a territory of the United States; it was ceded by Spain to the United States in 1898
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
half-suffocated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
free from evil or guilt
From this reading AN INNOCENT BURGLAR.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
a small worthless amount
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
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 Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
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 HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
LucasnounUS /ˈluːkəs/
United States screenwriter and filmmaker (born in 1944)
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
the force of workers available
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
wrong in e.g. opinion or judgment
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
niecenounUS /niːs/
a daughter of your brother or sister
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Hot and half-suffocated in the narrow space in which he lay, Gus gradually remembered how he came to be in such a position, and knew that the voices he heard were those of Miss Durrant and her niece.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
threatsnounUS /θrets/
plural of “threat” — something that is a source of danger
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
thrillnounUS /θrɪl/
the swift release of a store of affective force
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading But the voices, one high and thin, the other low and sweet, could not well be mistaken for those of men.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
at the time that
From this reading HOW long Gus had slept, he could not have told, when he was awakened by the sound of voices in the room.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For a moment he imagined, with a thrill of fear, that Lucas and Jack were at hand, ready to execute the violent threats with which they had driven him into the house.
