used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.
aristocraticadjectiveUS /ərˌɪstəˈkrætɪk/
belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy
From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
make calm or still
From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
Chinatown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
contemptuouslyadverbUS /kənˈtemptʃwəsli/
without respect; in a disdainful manner
From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
exhibitionnounUS /ˌeksəˈbɪʃən/
the act of exhibiting
From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
humbleradjectiveUS /ˈhʌmbələr/
comparative of “humble” — low or inferior in station or quality
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
JacksonnounUS /ˈdʒæksən/
English film actress who later became a member of British Parliament (born in 1936)
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
and nothing more
From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
a large number or amount
From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
the force of workers available
From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
Nobnoun
informal term for an upper-class or wealthy person
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.
precinctnounUS /ˈpriːsɪŋkt/
a district of a city or town marked out for administrative purposes
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
housing available for people to live in
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
respectabilitynounUS /riˌspektəˈbɪlɪti/
honorableness by virtue of being respectable and having a good reputation
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
concerned with religion or religious purposes
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
slimeverbUS /slaɪm/
cover or stain with slime
From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.
plural of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
strainsnounUS /streɪnz/
plural of “strain” — (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading Lots of tall stories about Chinatown, but the reality is bad enough."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "These men are just on exhibition," said Stone, contemptuously.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
a special situation
From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
up to a particular time
From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
varyingadjectiveUS /ˈveriɪŋ/
marked by diversity or difference
From this reading They took a Jackson Street car and rode up through humbler Chinatown, then through quarters of varying respectability until they reached the sacred precinct of Nob Hill.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Here there was an aristocratic calm, but much light, and faint strains of music.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Wait till I show you the real thing down in the slime.
