used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
adornmentnounUS /əˈdɔːrnmənt/
a decoration of color or interest that is added to relieve plainness
From this reading Here was neither costly furniture nor any adornment whatsoever.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
amazingadjectiveUS /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/
surprising greatly
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Here was neither costly furniture nor any adornment whatsoever.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
balesnounUS /beɪlz/
plural of “bale” — a large bundle bound for storage or transport
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
bargesnounUS /ˈbɑːrdʒəz/
plural of “barge” — a flatbottom boat for carrying heavy loads (especially on canals)
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
past form of “betray” — reveal unintentionally
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
blocksnounUS /blɑːks/
plural of “block” — a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But of the common things of daily life not a trace.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
carpetnounUS /ˈkɑːrpət/
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
coilsnounUS /kɔɪlz/
plural of “coil” — a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading But of the common things of daily life not a trace.
not accessible to view
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
costlyadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːstli/
entailing great loss or sacrifice
From this reading Here was neither costly furniture nor any adornment whatsoever.
crevicesnounUS /ˈkrevəsɪz/
plural of “crevice” — a long narrow depression in a surface
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
every day; without missing a day
From this reading But of the common things of daily life not a trace.
depthnounUS /depθ/
the extent downward or backward or inward
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
filteredverbUS /ˈfɪltərd/
past form of “filter” — remove by passing through a filter
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
flecksnounUS /fleks/
plural of “fleck” — a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading Here was neither costly furniture nor any adornment whatsoever.
the act of giving
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
coins made of gold
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
hazardnounUS /ˈhæzərd/
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here was neither costly furniture nor any adornment whatsoever.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
set down according to a plan
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading But of the common things of daily life not a trace.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
loadedadjectiveUS /ˈloʊdɪd/
filled with a great quantity
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Here was neither costly furniture nor any adornment whatsoever.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Here was neither costly furniture nor any adornment whatsoever.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But of the common things of daily life not a trace.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
a safe place
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
a strong line
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
secretsnounUS /ˈsiːkrəts/
plural of “secret” — something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on)
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
simplicitynounUS /sɪmˈplɪsəti/
the quality of being simple or uncompounded
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
stevedores
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
the rays of the sun
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
in or at that place or location
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
thereinadverbUS /ðeˈrɪn/
(formal) in or into that thing or place
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading But of the common things of daily life not a trace.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A FIGURE IN THE STRAW A little light filtered down through the crevices and betrayed the secrets of that strange refuge in all their amazing simplicity.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
timbernounUS /ˈtɪmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
a just detectable amount
From this reading But of the common things of daily life not a trace.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Here was neither costly furniture nor any adornment whatsoever.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
whatsoeveradjectiveUS /ˌwʌtsoʊˈevər/
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Here was neither costly furniture nor any adornment whatsoever.
in or to any place at all
From this reading A thick carpet of straw, giving flecks of gold wherever the sunlight struck down upon it, had been laid to such a depth that a grown man might have concealed himself therein.
which person or people
From this reading A few empty bales stood here and there as though thrown down at hazard; there were coils of rope and great blocks of timber used by the stevedores who loaded the barges.
