used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
abandoningverbUS /əˈbændənɪŋ/
-ing form of “abandon” — forsake, leave behind
From this reading The Doctor, abandoning any idea of chasing and securing him, lost not a moment in doing what he could.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Doctor, abandoning any idea of chasing and securing him, lost not a moment in doing what he could.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The Doctor, abandoning any idea of chasing and securing him, lost not a moment in doing what he could.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
marked by assurance; exhibiting confidence
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
balanceverbUS /ˈbæləns/
bring into balance or equilibrium
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
bricksnounUS /brɪks/
plural of “brick” — rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
Brudenell's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
chasingverbUS /ˈtʃeɪsɪŋ/
-ing form of “chase” — go after with the intent to catch
From this reading The Doctor, abandoning any idea of chasing and securing him, lost not a moment in doing what he could.
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The Doctor, abandoning any idea of chasing and securing him, lost not a moment in doing what he could.
dartedverbUS /ˈdɑːrtɪd/
past form of “dart” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading The Doctor, abandoning any idea of chasing and securing him, lost not a moment in doing what he could.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
echoverbUS /ˈekoʊ/
to say again or imitate
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
foot-passengers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
futileadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtəl/
producing no result or effect
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
gravelnounUS /ˈɡrævəl/
rock fragments and pebbles
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
half-finished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The Doctor, abandoning any idea of chasing and securing him, lost not a moment in doing what he could.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
mazenounUS /meɪz/
complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
a particular point in time
From this reading The Doctor, abandoning any idea of chasing and securing him, lost not a moment in doing what he could.
mortarnounUS /ˈmɔːrtər/
a muzzle-loading high-angle gun with a short barrel that fires shells at high elevations for a short range
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
neglectedadjectiveUS /nəˈɡlektəd/
disregarded
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The Doctor, abandoning any idea of chasing and securing him, lost not a moment in doing what he could.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
pavementnounUS /ˈpeɪvmənt/
the paved surface of a thoroughfare
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
worried and uneasy
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
securingverbUS /sɪˈkjʊrɪŋ/
-ing form of “secure” — get by special effort
From this reading The Doctor, abandoning any idea of chasing and securing him, lost not a moment in doing what he could.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
throngnounUS /θrɔːŋ/
a large gathering of people
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Already his rapid footsteps had ceased to echo on the pavement; he was lost by this time in the busy restless throng of Saturday night foot-passengers.
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The Doctor, abandoning any idea of chasing and securing him, lost not a moment in doing what he could.
in or at the place that
From this reading The short street was a new one, having on one side a neglected piece of waste land, where bricks, gravel, and mortar were flung in confusion; upon the other a row of half-finished houses.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The man had darted off down a narrow turning which had led into a maze of streets.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Doctor Brudenell's first rapid glance about him as he recovered his balance assured him that pursuit would be futile.
