Chapter I

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

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

lost in thought; showing preoccupation

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

Having no one else present.

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

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

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

the condition of living or the state of being alive

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

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

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

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

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

a distinct feature or element in a problem

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

plural of “associate” — a person who joins with others in some activity or endeavor

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

a person with fair skin and hair

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

exercising caution or showing care or attention

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

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

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

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

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

a teacher and prophet born in Bethlehem and active in Nazareth; his life and sermons form the basis for Christianity (circa 4 BC - AD 29)

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

clothing in general

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

the condition of being concealed or hidden

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

make or do or perform again

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

a representation of a person (especially in the form of sculpture)

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

plural of “effort” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

determined or actuated by emotion rather than reason

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

the act of escaping physically

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

Strictly particular and correct.

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

plural of “farewell” — an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

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

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

in a feverish manner

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

produced by or subjected to forcing

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

producing no result or effect

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

plural of “gesture” — motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

plural of “greeting” — (usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

flowing profusely

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

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

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

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

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

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

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

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

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

causing irritation or annoyance

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

a person who enjoys telling or playing jokes

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

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

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

of a region of the United States generally including Ohio; Indiana; Illinois; Iowa; Missouri; Kansas; Nebraska; and sometimes Michigan; Wisconsin; Minnesota

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

(chemistry) a substance consisting of two or more substances mixed together (not in fixed proportions and not with chemical bonding)

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

past form of “obscure” — make less visible or unclear

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

to some extent; in some degree; not wholly

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

lacking in energy or will

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

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

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

Identical; not different.

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

the place where some action occurs

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

plural of “seek” — the movement of a read/write head to a specific data track on a disk

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

the quality of being well-groomed and neatly tailored

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

inflected form of “stride” — walk with long steps

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

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

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

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

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

create by training and teaching

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

a comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

subjected to a physical (or chemical) treatment or action or agent

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

made neat and tidy by trimming

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer

From this reading Carl Felman stepped from a train at the Union Station of a midwestern American city.

lacking in reality or substance or genuineness; not corresponding to acknowledged facts or criteria

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

not disposed or inclined toward

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

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

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

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

From this reading In the emotional confusion of the railroad-station, with its reluctant farewells and gushing greetings, Carl walked alone and abstracted, and he treated the scene as though it were a feverishly unreal mixture of drama and travesty.

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

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

which person or people

From this reading He strode with the careful haste of one who seeks to escape from an irritating dream but knows at the same time that his efforts are futile.

in the company of; together with

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading If some joker had taken a Gothic effigy of Christ, trimmed its beard, dressed it in grey and dirty clothes, and forced upon it an unwilling animation, he would have produced an exact duplicate of Carl’s aspect and gestures.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading His young face, partly obscured by a blonde stubble of beard, was a passive concealment, and his thin lips and long nose did not hold that stalwart sleekness which one associates with earth.