Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

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

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

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

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

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

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

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

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

someone who bakes commercially

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

a mountain or tall hill

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

the overhead upper surface of a covered space

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

an urge to do or say something that might be better left undone or unsaid

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

-ing form of “confront” — oppose, as in hostility or a competition

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

although something is true; in spite of

From this reading Then, despite his pain, hope had remained.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

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

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

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

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

a city in central Italy on the Arno; provincial capital of Tuscany; center of the Italian Renaissance from 14th to 16th centuries

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

representing or accommodating the entire length

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

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

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

where you live at a particular time

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading Then, despite his pain, hope had remained.

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

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

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Now hope was lost, and in its place stood a maddening might-have-been.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading Now hope was lost, and in its place stood a maddening might-have-been.

extremely annoying or displeasing

From this reading Now hope was lost, and in its place stood a maddening might-have-been.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

an event that could have occurred but never did

From this reading Now hope was lost, and in its place stood a maddening might-have-been.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

and nothing more

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder

From this reading Then, despite his pain, hope had remained.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Now hope was lost, and in its place stood a maddening might-have-been.

a treeless grassy plain

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

past form of “rage” — behave violently, as if in state of a great anger

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

rebuffed (by a lover) without warning

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Then, despite his pain, hope had remained.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently (but not necessarily) a liquid solution

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Now hope was lost, and in its place stood a maddening might-have-been.

(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

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

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then, despite his pain, hope had remained.

in or at that place or location

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

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

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

a state of commotion and noise and confusion

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

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

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It had been a hard fight for self-control there on the prairie the day Florence rejected him, but it was as nothing to the tumult that now raged in his brain.

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

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

at the time that

From this reading THE BACK-FIRE When Ben Blair left the Baker home he went back to his room at the hotel, closed and locked the door, and, throwing off coat and hat, stretched himself full-length upon the floor, gazing up at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

a Caucasian

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Under the compulsion of his will, the white flood of anger had passed, but it only made more difficult the solution of the problem confronting him.