used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading He stared wildly around him, not comprehending the circumstances in which he was placed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/
possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
brandynounUS /ˈbrændi/
distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
Charlie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading He stared wildly around him, not comprehending the circumstances in which he was placed.
comprehendingverbUS /ˌkɑːmprɪˈhendɪŋ/
-ing form of “comprehend” — get the meaning of something
From this reading He stared wildly around him, not comprehending the circumstances in which he was placed.
COPPERnounUS /ˈkɑːpər/
a ductile malleable reddish-brown corrosion-resistant diamagnetic metallic element; occurs in various minerals but is the only metal that occurs abundantly in large masses; used as an electrical and thermal conductor
From this reading THE COPPER SPECIMENS.
crushingadjectiveUS /ˈkrʌʃɪŋ/
physically or spiritually devastating; often used in combination
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
drainedadjectiveUS /dreɪnd/
emptied or exhausted of (as by drawing off e.g. water or other liquid)
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
fistsnounUS /fɪsts/
plural of “fist” — a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
graduatingverbUS /ˈɡrædʒəweɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “graduate” — receive an academic degree upon completion of one's studies
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
grippedverbUS /ɡrɪpt/
inflected form of “grip” — hold fast or firmly
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He stared wildly around him, not comprehending the circumstances in which he was placed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He stared wildly around him, not comprehending the circumstances in which he was placed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
liquornounUS /ˈlɪkər/
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
mortem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He stared wildly around him, not comprehending the circumstances in which he was placed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
affix in a public place or for public notice
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
preparatoryadjectiveUS /prɪˈperətɔːri/
preceding and preparing for something
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
slabnounUS /slæb/
block consisting of a thick piece of something
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
SPECIMENSnounUS /ˈspesəmənz/
plural of “specimen” — an example regarded as typical of its class
From this reading THE COPPER SPECIMENS.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading He stared wildly around him, not comprehending the circumstances in which he was placed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE COPPER SPECIMENS.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a little of the brandy left in the graduating glass, and Charlie held it to his lips.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He stared wildly around him, not comprehending the circumstances in which he was placed.
in or at the place that
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He stared wildly around him, not comprehending the circumstances in which he was placed.
wildlyadverbUS /ˈwaɪldli/
to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree
From this reading He stared wildly around him, not comprehending the circumstances in which he was placed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He gripped the boy’s hands with his two great, rough fists, almost crushing the glass, and eagerly drained the liquor off.
wretches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man sat up on the slab, where, like many other unfortunate wretches, he had been placed preparatory to a post mortem.
