used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading He loitered along, looking into the windows, sore at heart and wistful.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
any thing at all
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Ned Burton went to the post, as he had said.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He loitered along, looking into the windows, sore at heart and wistful.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There was no one, to be sure, at Mrs Drummond's end of the Gatehouse.
blindsnounUS /blaɪndz/
plural of “blind” — people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
BurtonnounUS /ˈbɜːrtən/
English explorer who with John Speke was the first European to explore Lake Tanganyika (1821-1890)
From this reading Ned Burton went to the post, as he had said.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
chinksnounUS /tʃɪŋks/
plural of “chink” — (ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Chinese descent
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
a statement that represents something in words
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
Drummond's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one, to be sure, at Mrs Drummond's end of the Gatehouse.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading There was no one, to be sure, at Mrs Drummond's end of the Gatehouse.
Gatehousenoun
a house built at a gateway; usually the gatekeeper's residence
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
a quick look
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Ned Burton went to the post, as he had said.
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Ned Burton went to the post, as he had said.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading He loitered along, looking into the windows, sore at heart and wistful.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
of great significance or value
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
interioradjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɪriər/
situated within or suitable for inside a building
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He loitered along, looking into the windows, sore at heart and wistful.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
loitered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He loitered along, looking into the windows, sore at heart and wistful.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading He loitered along, looking into the windows, sore at heart and wistful.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
engage in
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading There was no one, to be sure, at Mrs Drummond's end of the Gatehouse.
Ned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ned Burton went to the post, as he had said.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no one, to be sure, at Mrs Drummond's end of the Gatehouse.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was no one, to be sure, at Mrs Drummond's end of the Gatehouse.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
panesnounUS /peɪnz/
plural of “pane” — sheet glass cut in shapes for windows or doors
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
go across or through
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
affix in a public place or for public notice
From this reading Ned Burton went to the post, as he had said.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Ned Burton went to the post, as he had said.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
hurting
From this reading He loitered along, looking into the windows, sore at heart and wistful.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading There was no one, to be sure, at Mrs Drummond's end of the Gatehouse.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Ned Burton went to the post, as he had said.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no one, to be sure, at Mrs Drummond's end of the Gatehouse.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
tireverbUS /ˈtaɪər/
lose interest or become bored with something or somebody
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Ned Burton went to the post, as he had said.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
veiledadjectiveUS /veɪld/
having or as if having a veil or concealing cover
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
VenetiannounUS /vəˈniːʃən/
a resident of Venice
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Ned Burton went to the post, as he had said.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading He loitered along, looking into the windows, sore at heart and wistful.
wistfuladjectiveUS /ˈwɪstfəl/
showing pensive sadness
From this reading He loitered along, looking into the windows, sore at heart and wistful.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had to pass the Gatehouse on his way; and his business was not of so important a description that he should make any haste about it, or tire himself with walking.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading He tried to get a glimpse at the interior through the chinks of the little green Venetian blinds which veiled the lower panes; but they were turned the wrong way, and he could not see anything.
