used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
aboundingadjectiveUS /əˈbaʊndɪŋ/
existing in abundance
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading On this particular day he was dismissed at six, and bent his steps homeward.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
completely unclothed
From this reading The room was bare and cheerless in the extreme.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading On this particular day he was dismissed at six, and bent his steps homeward.
bricknounUS /brɪk/
rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
cheerlessadjective
causing sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy
From this reading The room was bare and cheerless in the extreme.
creakingnounUS /ˈkriːkɪŋ/
a squeaking sound
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
dismissedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsmɪst/
having lost your job
From this reading On this particular day he was dismissed at six, and bent his steps homeward.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He opened the door and entered.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading He opened the door and entered.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
From this reading The room was bare and cheerless in the extreme.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
following the third position; number four in a countable series
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading On this particular day he was dismissed at six, and bent his steps homeward.
homewardadverbUS /ˈhoʊmwərd/
toward home
From this reading On this particular day he was dismissed at six, and bent his steps homeward.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On this particular day he was dismissed at six, and bent his steps homeward.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading He opened the door and entered.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading On this particular day he was dismissed at six, and bent his steps homeward.
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
smellsnounUS /smelz/
plural of “smell” — the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
staircasenounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
past form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading On this particular day he was dismissed at six, and bent his steps homeward.
surroundingsnounUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋz/
the environmental condition
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
tenementnounUS /ˈtenəmənt/
a run-down apartment house barely meeting minimal standards
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading On this particular day he was dismissed at six, and bent his steps homeward.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
unsavoryadjectiveUS /ənˈseɪvəri/
morally offensive
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
unsightlyadjectiveUS /ənˈsaɪtli/
unpleasant to look at
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At six o’clock every other day Paul was let off from the office, other days he stayed much later.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He paused in front of a tall, shabby brick tenement house, unsightly in its surroundings, and abounding inside in unsavory smells, and took his way up the creaking staircase to a room on the fourth floor.
