used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
architecturenounUS /ˈɑːrkətektʃər/
an architectural product or work
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
inflected form of “behold” — see with attention
From this reading But when from the elevated railroad he beheld the Woolworth Tower, he was exalted.
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/
(of a surface) not written or printed on
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading I The McGurk Building.
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
bulks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But when from the elevated railroad he beheld the Woolworth Tower, he was exalted.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
ChicagonounUS /ʃəˈkɑːɡoʊ/
largest city in Illinois; a bustling Great Lakes port that extends 26 miles along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
containingverbUS /kənˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
elevatedadjectiveUS /ˈeləveɪtɪd/
raised above the ground
From this reading But when from the elevated railroad he beheld the Woolworth Tower, he was exalted.
exaltedadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzɔːltɪd/
of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
From this reading But when from the elevated railroad he beheld the Woolworth Tower, he was exalted.
existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/
past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But when from the elevated railroad he beheld the Woolworth Tower, he was exalted.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But when from the elevated railroad he beheld the Woolworth Tower, he was exalted.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
an indirect suggestion
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I The McGurk Building.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
leisurelyadverbUS /ˈliːzərli/
in an unhurried way or at one's convenience
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
limestonenounUS /ˈlaɪmstoʊn/
a sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium that was deposited by the remains of marine animals
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
LoopverbUS /luːp/
move in loops
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
ManhattannounUS /mænˈhætən/
one of the five boroughs of New York City
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
McGurk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I The McGurk Building.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
plural of “object” — a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
overwhelmedverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmd/
past form of “overwhelm” — overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
pinchedadjectiveUS /pɪntʃt/
sounding as if the nose were pinched
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
one of four equal parts
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
railroadnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading But when from the elevated railroad he beheld the Woolworth Tower, he was exalted.
rulesnounUS /ruːlz/
plural of “rule” — a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
sheeradjectiveUS /ʃɪr/
complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
small or little relative to something else
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
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 A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I The McGurk Building.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading But when from the elevated railroad he beheld the Woolworth Tower, he was exalted.
trianglenounUS /ˈtraɪæŋɡəl/
a three-sided polygon
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading To him architecture had never existed; buildings were larger or smaller bulks containing more or less interesting objects.
at the time that
From this reading But when from the elevated railroad he beheld the Woolworth Tower, he was exalted.
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
WoolworthnounUS /ˈwʊlwɜːrθ/
United States businessman who opened a shop in 1879 selling low-priced goods and built it into a national chain of stores (1852-1919)
From this reading But when from the elevated railroad he beheld the Woolworth Tower, he was exalted.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading Martin was not overwhelmed by his first hint of New York; after a year in the Chicago Loop, Manhattan seemed leisurely.
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 A sheer wall, thirty blank stories of glass and limestone, down in the pinched triangle whence New York rules a quarter of the world.
