Chapter IV · Chapter 4

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

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

From this reading At length poor Akaky Akakiyevich breathed his last.

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

From this reading At length poor Akaky Akakiyevich breathed his last.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading To whom all this fell, God knows.

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At length poor Akaky Akakiyevich breathed his last.

for the reason that

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

on the far side of; further than

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

uttered without voice

From this reading At length poor Akaky Akakiyevich breathed his last.

a collection of things wrapped or boxed together

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

placed in a grave

From this reading They carried Akaky Akakiyevich out, and buried him.

come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

plural of “button” — a round fastener sewn to shirts and coats etc to fit through buttonholes

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading They carried Akaky Akakiyevich out, and buried him.

confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure

From this reading I confess that the person who told me this tale took no interest in the matter.

property of a personal character that is portable but not used in business

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading To whom all this fell, God knows.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading To whom all this fell, God knows.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

plural of “heir” — a person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

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

From this reading They carried Akaky Akakiyevich out, and buried him.

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

From this reading At length poor Akaky Akakiyevich breathed his last.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I confess that the person who told me this tale took no interest in the matter.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

obtain from someone after their death

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading I confess that the person who told me this tale took no interest in the matter.

apprehended with certainty

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading To whom all this fell, God knows.

immediately past

From this reading At length poor Akaky Akakiyevich breathed his last.

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading At length poor Akaky Akakiyevich breathed his last.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

the cloak as a symbol of authority

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading I confess that the person who told me this tale took no interest in the matter.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I confess that the person who told me this tale took no interest in the matter.

not one and not the other of two

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

not any; not one

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

having official authority or sanction

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading They carried Akaky Akakiyevich out, and buried him.

plural of “pair” — a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

a human being

From this reading I confess that the person who told me this tale took no interest in the matter.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading At length poor Akaky Akakiyevich breathed his last.

a quantity of paper; 24 or 25 sheets

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

a person who enjoys reading

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

established irrevocably

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

plural of “sock” — hosiery consisting of a cloth covering for the foot; worn inside the shoe; reaches to between the ankle and the knee

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

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 I confess that the person who told me this tale took no interest in the matter.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I confess that the person who told me this tale took no interest in the matter.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

in or at that place or location

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading To whom all this fell, God knows.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading I confess that the person who told me this tale took no interest in the matter.

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading I confess that the person who told me this tale took no interest in the matter.

(usually in the plural) a garment extending from the waist to the knee or ankle, covering each leg separately

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

precisely as stated

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

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

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

a Caucasian

From this reading They sealed up neither his room nor his effects, because, in the first place, there were no heirs, and, in the second, there was very little to inherit beyond a bundle of goose-quills, a quire of white official paper, three pairs of socks, two or three buttons which had burst off his trousers, and the mantle already known to the reader.

which person or people

From this reading I confess that the person who told me this tale took no interest in the matter.

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading To whom all this fell, God knows.