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Chapter XXVI
THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him. The shock of the surprise, for a moment, held us motionless. But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance. It was of no avail. Death had, probably, been instantaneous, so much mercy the creature showed.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Death had, probably, been instantaneous, so much mercy the creature showed.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.”
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading “But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Death had, probably, been instantaneous, so much mercy the creature showed.”
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading “THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.”
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The shock of the surprise, for a moment, held us motionless.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was of no avail.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Death had, probably, been instantaneous, so much mercy the creature showed.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Death had, probably, been instantaneous, so much mercy the creature showed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Death had, probably, been instantaneous, so much mercy the creature showed.
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shock of the surprise, for a moment, held us motionless.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Death had, probably, been instantaneous, so much mercy the creature showed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was of no avail.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Death had, probably, been instantaneous, so much mercy the creature showed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shock of the surprise, for a moment, held us motionless.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shock of the surprise, for a moment, held us motionless.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Death had, probably, been instantaneous, so much mercy the creature showed.
not any; not one
From this reading It was of no avail.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Death had, probably, been instantaneous, so much mercy the creature showed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shock of the surprise, for a moment, held us motionless.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Death had, probably, been instantaneous, so much mercy the creature showed.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shock of the surprise, for a moment, held us motionless.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The shock of the surprise, for a moment, held us motionless.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But so soon as we realised that the man was being hacked to death before our eyes, we rushed to his assistance.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading THE LEGACY OF THE SCARLET HANDS We could do nothing for him.
