used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
having companions or an escort
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
in the past
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
barrowsnounUS /ˈbæroʊz/
plural of “barrow” — the quantity that a barrow will hold
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
broken-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
claynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
concreteadjectiveUS /kənˈkriːt/
capable of being perceived by the senses; not abstract or imaginary
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/
treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading I found it difficult.
engineernounUS /ˈendʒəˈnɪr/
a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
evokeverbUS /ɪˈvoʊk/
call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
exactadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzækt/
Strictly particular and correct.
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
excavationsnounUS /ˌekskəˈveɪʃənz/
plural of “excavation” — the act of digging
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
set up or found
From this reading I found it difficult.
foundationsnounUS /faʊnˈdeɪʃənz/
plural of “foundation” — the basis on which something is grounded
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
heapsnounUS /hiːps/
a large number or amount
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading Had these streets been older streets there would have been remembered records to help me.
a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I found it difficult.
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 WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Had these streets been older streets there would have been remembered records to help me.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading Had these streets been older streets there would have been remembered records to help me.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
pottering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
on the contrary
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
recordsnounUS /rəˈkɔːrdz/
plural of “record” — anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events
From this reading Had these streets been older streets there would have been remembered records to help me.
any object that is left unused or still extant
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
To recall to mind.
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading Had these streets been older streets there would have been remembered records to help me.
rubbishnounUS /ˈrʌbɪʃ/
worthless material that is to be disposed of
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
theaternounUS /ˈθiːətər/
a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
in or at that place or location
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
thirty-odd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
thrown-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
hard to endure
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
having passed out of existence
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
precisely as stated
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading WHAT PHILIP KNEW I The other day, accompanied by an engineer acquaintance, I was pottering about certain new excavations in the heart of London, and came upon a number of heaps of crushed and broken-up concrete, evidently the remains of old foundations.
wheeling-planks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
in the company of; together with
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Had these streets been older streets there would have been remembered records to help me.
a late time of life
From this reading One of them had been a theater, another an hotel; and I stood there with my friend, looking over the waste of rubbish and barrows and wheeling-planks and thrown-up London clay, trying to evoke in my mind the exact plan of those vanished streets of thirty-odd years ago.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet those foundations could not have been very old, since I myself could remember the buildings of which they had been the support, and these had been old-fashioned rather than old.
