used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading SUMNER DRIFTS AWAY ON A RAFT.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He sniffed at it eagerly, inhaling its fragrance with long, deep breaths.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading SUMNER DRIFTS AWAY ON A RAFT.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
breathsnounUS /breθs/
plural of “breath” — the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading He sniffed at it eagerly, inhaling its fragrance with long, deep breaths.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
climaxnounUS /ˈklaɪmæks/
the highest point of anything conceived of as growing or developing or unfolding
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading He sniffed at it eagerly, inhaling its fragrance with long, deep breaths.
desirableadjectiveUS /dɪˈzaɪrəbəl/
worth having or seeking or achieving
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
displaynounUS /dɪˈspleɪ/
something intended to communicate a particular impression
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
DRIFTSnounUS /drɪfts/
plural of “drift” — a force that moves something along
From this reading SUMNER DRIFTS AWAY ON A RAFT.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading He sniffed at it eagerly, inhaling its fragrance with long, deep breaths.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
fragmentnounUS /ˈfræɡ.mənt/
A small part broken or separated off something larger.
From this reading For more than two weeks he had longed unavailingly for a fragment of the precious weed.
fragrancenounUS /ˈfreɪɡrəns/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading He sniffed at it eagerly, inhaling its fragrance with long, deep breaths.
glistenverbUS /ˈɡlɪsən/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
coins made of gold
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
ingotsnounUS /ˈɪŋɡəts/
plural of “ingot” — metal that is cast in the shape of a block for convenient handling
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
inhalingverbUS /ˌɪnˈheɪlɪŋ/
-ing form of “inhale” — draw deep into the lungs in by breathing
From this reading He sniffed at it eagerly, inhaling its fragrance with long, deep breaths.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He sniffed at it eagerly, inhaling its fragrance with long, deep breaths.
layernounUS /ˈleɪər/
single thickness of usually some homogeneous substance
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
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 He sniffed at it eagerly, inhaling its fragrance with long, deep breaths.
longedverbUS /lɔːŋd/
past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading For more than two weeks he had longed unavailingly for a fragment of the precious weed.
for more time
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading For more than two weeks he had longed unavailingly for a fragment of the precious weed.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
mysteriouslyadverbUS /ˌmɪˈstɪriəsli/
in a cryptic manner
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
negro's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading SUMNER DRIFTS AWAY ON A RAFT.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
plugverbUS /plʌɡ/
fill or close tightly with or as if with a plug
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for
From this reading For more than two weeks he had longed unavailingly for a fragment of the precious weed.
free of extraneous elements of any kind
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
quantitynounUS /ˈkwɑːntəti/
how much there is or how many there are of something that you can quantify
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
QuorumnounUS /ˈkwɔːrəm/
a gathering of the minimal number of members of an organization to conduct business
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
RAFTnounUS /ræft/
a flat float (usually made of logs or planks) that can be used for transport or as a platform for swimmers
From this reading SUMNER DRIFTS AWAY ON A RAFT.
To recall to mind.
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
cut with a saw
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
sniffedverbUS /snɪft/
past form of “sniff” — perceive by inhaling through the nose
From this reading He sniffed at it eagerly, inhaling its fragrance with long, deep breaths.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
SUMNERnounUS /ˈsʌmnər/
United States sociologist (1840-1910)
From this reading SUMNER DRIFTS AWAY ON A RAFT.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
tobacconounUS /təˈbækoʊ/
leaves of the tobacco plant dried and prepared for smoking or ingestion
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading For more than two weeks he had longed unavailingly for a fragment of the precious weed.
unavailingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For more than two weeks he had longed unavailingly for a fragment of the precious weed.
unexpectedlyadverbUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪdli/
in a way that was not expected
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
unlimitedadjectiveUS /ənˈlɪmətɪd/
having no limits in range or scope
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)
From this reading The display of layer upon layer of black plug tobacco such as Quorum had been accustomed to using for longer than he could remember caused the negro's eyes to glisten as though they saw so many ingots of pure gold.
precisely as stated
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
weednounUS /wiːd/
any plant that crowds out cultivated plants
From this reading For more than two weeks he had longed unavailingly for a fragment of the precious weed.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading For more than two weeks he had longed unavailingly for a fragment of the precious weed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He sniffed at it eagerly, inhaling its fragrance with long, deep breaths.
an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value
From this reading Now to have an unlimited quantity of it placed before him so very mysteriously and unexpectedly seemed to him the climax of everything most desirable and best worth living for.
