used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
afireadjectiveUS /əˈfaɪr/
lighted up by or as by fire or flame
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Animals often enjoy more creature comforts, are better housed and more kindly treated.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Animals often enjoy more creature comforts, are better housed and more kindly treated.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading Not that their condition in life was much better than that of the dumb brute.
a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
brainsnounUS /breɪnz/
plural of “brain” — 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 The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
brutenounUS /bruːt/
a cruelly rapacious person
From this reading Not that their condition in life was much better than that of the dumb brute.
comfortsnounUS /ˈkʌmfərts/
things that make you comfortable and at ease
From this reading Animals often enjoy more creature comforts, are better housed and more kindly treated.
compoundnounUS /ˈkɑːmpaʊnd/
a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
a state at a particular time
From this reading Not that their condition in life was much better than that of the dumb brute.
gotten under control
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Animals often enjoy more creature comforts, are better housed and more kindly treated.
cursingverbUS /ˈkɜːrsɪŋ/
-ing form of “curse” — utter obscenities or profanities
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
degradedadjectiveUS /dɪˈɡreɪdəd/
unrestrained by convention or morality
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
dirtyadjectiveUS /ˈdɜːrti/
soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
the act of consuming liquids
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
dumbadjectiveUS /dʌm/
slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
From this reading Not that their condition in life was much better than that of the dumb brute.
derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading Animals often enjoy more creature comforts, are better housed and more kindly treated.
ensuredverbUS /enˈʃʊrd/
past form of “ensure” — make certain of
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
foul-smellingadjective
offensively malodorous
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
in a free manner
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
hauledverbUS /hɔːld/
past form of “haul” — draw slowly or heavily
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
housedverbUS /haʊzd/
past form of “house” — contain or cover
From this reading Animals often enjoy more creature comforts, are better housed and more kindly treated.
imbibedverbUS /ɪmˈbaɪbd/
past form of “imbibe” — take in, also metaphorically
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading Animals often enjoy more creature comforts, are better housed and more kindly treated.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Not that their condition in life was much better than that of the dumb brute.
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 They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Animals often enjoy more creature comforts, are better housed and more kindly treated.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Not that their condition in life was much better than that of the dumb brute.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not that their condition in life was much better than that of the dumb brute.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Animals often enjoy more creature comforts, are better housed and more kindly treated.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
profitnounUS /ˈprɑːfət/
the excess of revenues over outlays in a given period of time (including depreciation and other non-cash expenses)
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
quarrelingverbUS /ˈkwɑːrəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “quarrel” — have a disagreement over something
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
reefed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
a strong line
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
sailormen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
plural of “sailor” — any member of a ship's crew
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
plural of “sea” — a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading They were not really sailors, for in their long experience on the high seas they had never reefed a sail or hauled on a rope.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
ship-chandler's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Not that their condition in life was much better than that of the dumb brute.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
subjected to a physical (or chemical) treatment or action or agent
From this reading Animals often enjoy more creature comforts, are better housed and more kindly treated.
villainousadjectiveUS /ˈvɪlənəs/
extremely wicked
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Not that their condition in life was much better than that of the dumb brute.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading In a dark, dirty, foul-smelling room back of a small ship-chandler's store on West Street, four sailormen were seated at a table, drinking, quarreling, cursing.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The bottle from which they had imbibed too freely contained a villainous compound that ensured their host a handsome profit, set their brains afire, and degraded them to the level of the beast.
