Chapter I

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

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

anew

From this reading "Oh, Lord!" she sighed again, patiently.

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

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

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

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

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

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

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

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

plural of “bag” — a flexible container with a single opening

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

preventing entry or exit or a course of action

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

plural of “bottle” — a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

plural of “cat” — feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

past form of “clean” — make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

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

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "It’ll have to do," she said, "until to-morrow."

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

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

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

a liquid (as water) that flows in drops (as from the eaves of house)

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

past form of “flicker” — move back and forth very rapidly

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

the state of matter distinguished from the solid and liquid states by: relatively low density and viscosity

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

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

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

a nonmetallic univalent element that is normally a colorless and odorless highly flammable diatomic gas; the simplest and lightest and most abundant element in the universe

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

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

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "It’ll have to do," she said, "until to-morrow."

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

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

From this reading "It’ll have to do," she said, "until to-morrow."

pull, or move with a sudden movement

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

an airplane powered by one or more jet engines

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

and nothing more

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

35th President of the United States; established the Peace Corps; assassinated in Dallas (1917-1963)

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

a room equipped for preparing meals

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading "Oh, Lord!" she sighed again, patiently.

excessively mournful

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading "Oh, Lord!" she sighed again, patiently.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

above and across; more than

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

the act of passing from one state or place to the next

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

with patience; in a patient manner

From this reading "Oh, Lord!" she sighed again, patiently.

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

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

past form of “push” — move with force

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "It’ll have to do," she said, "until to-morrow."

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily

From this reading "Oh, Lord!" she sighed again, patiently.

past form of “stagger” — walk as if unable to control one's movements

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

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

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

in or at that place or location

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

very small

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

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

From this reading "It’ll have to do," she said, "until to-morrow."

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

From this reading "It’ll have to do," she said, "until to-morrow."

plural of “tradesman” — a merchant who owns or manages a shop

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

up to a particular time

From this reading "It’ll have to do," she said, "until to-morrow."

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading A tiny jet of gas flickered in the passage to light her as she staggered along to the kitchen, there to set down the heavy pail with a jerk that sent a flood of dirty water over her feet.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

in or at the place that

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading Then, pail in hand, she descended to the basement and pushed open with her foot the door of her flat--three black little rooms with barred windows on a lugubrious air-shaft, where great ash-cans stood and cats prowled and tradesmen went whistling by with bags and bottles.

in the company of; together with

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

inflected form of “wring” — twist and press out of shape

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading _George H. Doran Company_ _New York_ Mrs. Kennedy got up from her knees, wrung out the filthy and dripping cloth in her hands, and looked back with a sigh over the stairs she had just cleaned.