Chapter II · Tending to Show That Misfortunes Never Come Singly

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

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

(Old Testament) in Judeo-Christian mythology; the first man and the husband of Eve and the progenitor of the human race

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

(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 Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

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

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

make calm or still

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

past form of “compare” — examine and note the similarities or differences of

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

(United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

tableware (eating and serving dishes) collectively

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

(meteorology) rapid inward circulation of air masses about a low pressure center; circling counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

the occurrence of a change for the worse

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

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

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane or from volcanic activity

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

plural of “earthquake” — shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane or from volcanic activity

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

extremely impressive in strength or excellence

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

a feeling of intense anger

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

the aggregate of past events

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

state of violent mental agitation

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

angered at something unjust or wrong

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

plural of “inhabitant” — a person who inhabits a particular place

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

and nothing more

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

plural of “lead” — an advantage held by a competitor in a race

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

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

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

plural of “native” — an indigenous person who was born in a particular place

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

full of or characterized by loud and nonmusical sounds

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

not one thing; not anything

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

plural of “occupant” — someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

title for the heads of the Eastern Orthodox Churches (in Istanbul and Alexandria and Moscow and Jerusalem)

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

almost; nearly

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

in the right manner; correctly; suitably

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

plural of “rattle” — a rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders)

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

any address at which you dwell more than temporarily

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

past form of “scandalize” — strike with disgust or revulsion

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

plural of “shake” — building material used as siding or roofing

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

-ing form of “signify” — denote or connote

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

characterized by or preferring solitude

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

a thing, without saying which

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

the utterance of intelligible speech

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

plural of “stranger” — anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

brought from wildness into a domesticated state

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

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

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

a special situation

From this reading They regard their earthquakes as tamed creatures—not more formidable, practically speaking, than “a thing of noise and fury, signifying nothing.”

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

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

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

an involuntary vibration (as if from illness or fear)

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

plural of “tremor” — an involuntary vibration (as if from illness or fear)

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

a state of agitation or turbulent change or development

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

not usual or common or ordinary

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

a vivid mental image

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

plural of “visitor” — someone who visits

From this reading When visitors show agitation at the coming of an earth tremor, these old inhabitants—and five years’ residence in Los Angeles makes one something little short of a patriarch—are almost scandalized.

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 They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading Should these strangers go the way that leads to hysteria, the old inhabitants grow properly indignant, and point out that all the tremors in the history of Los Angeles County are as nothing, in point of damage, as compared to one solitary cyclone of the Middle West.

at the time that

From this reading They remain “unusual calm” when the house shakes, the pictures flap upon the wall, and the crockery rattles in noisy unrest.

which person or people

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.

a late time of life

From this reading To natives of Los Angeles, or to those who have spent some years in that beautiful city—so beautiful that one could easily vision Adam and Eve as its occupants before the Fall—an earthquake tremor is just something more than of passing interest.