Chapter VI · On the Boston Pike

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

weapons considered collectively

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

aroused to action

From this reading His curiosity, as was quite natural, had been aroused by the treacherous attack on Matt.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading His curiosity, as was quite natural, had been aroused by the treacherous attack on Matt.

(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

From this reading His curiosity, as was quite natural, had been aroused by the treacherous attack on Matt.

for the reason that

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading His curiosity, as was quite natural, had been aroused by the treacherous attack on Matt.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading His curiosity, as was quite natural, had been aroused by the treacherous attack on Matt.

a boy or man

From this reading “What’re you tryin’ to do with that chap?”

artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

a state in which you want to learn more about something

From this reading His curiosity, as was quite natural, had been aroused by the treacherous attack on Matt.

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “What’re you tryin’ to do with that chap?”

the operator of a motor vehicle

From this reading This was the driver of the taxicab.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading His curiosity, as was quite natural, had been aroused by the treacherous attack on Matt.

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

lacking in or deprived of strength or power

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

set down according to a plan

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

a large number or amount

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

staying power

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

the property of having little or no contrast; lacking highlights or gloss

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature

From this reading His curiosity, as was quite natural, had been aroused by the treacherous attack on Matt.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

above and across; more than

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

compacted by ironing

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading His curiosity, as was quite natural, had been aroused by the treacherous attack on Matt.

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

causing difficulty in breathing especially through lack of fresh air and presence of heat

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

held in check with difficulty

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

a car driven by a person whose job is to take passengers where they want to go in exchange for money

From this reading This was the driver of the taxicab.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “What’re you tryin’ to do with that chap?”

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This was the driver of the taxicab.

in a tight or constricted manner

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

dangerously unstable and unpredictable

From this reading His curiosity, as was quite natural, had been aroused by the treacherous attack on Matt.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “What’re you tryin’ to do with that chap?”

plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

past form of “waft” — be driven or carried along, as by the air

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “What’re you tryin’ to do with that chap?”

during the time that

From this reading Motor Matt, helpless and half stifled among the bushes, felt lashings being put on his arms and legs; then, while some one laid a hand on the cloth and pressed it tightly over his lips, a bit of conversation was wafted to him from the road.

in the company of; together with

From this reading “What’re you tryin’ to do with that chap?”

the words that are spoken

From this reading Because of the smothering cloth, the voices seemed to come from a great distance, although the spoken words were distinct enough.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “What’re you tryin’ to do with that chap?”