used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
betokened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
bitingadjectiveUS /ˈbaɪtɪŋ/
capable of wounding
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
cablenounUS /ˈkeɪbəl/
a telegram sent abroad
From this reading Underneath him he could feel and hear the droning of the cable.
cable-car
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
clutchingverbUS /ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Underneath him he could feel and hear the droning of the cable.
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
droningnounUS /ˈdroʊnɪŋ/
an unchanging intonation
From this reading Underneath him he could feel and hear the droning of the cable.
opinion or judgment
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading Underneath him he could feel and hear the droning of the cable.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
fervornounUS /ˈfɜːrvər/
feelings of great warmth and intensity
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
footfallnounUS /ˈfʊtfɔːl/
the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
glarenounUS /ɡler/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
headlightnounUS /ˈhedlaɪt/
a powerful light with reflector; attached to the front of an automobile or locomotive
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading Underneath him he could feel and hear the droning of the cable.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Underneath him he could feel and hear the droning of the cable.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
ten 10s
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
lip-corners
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
easily agitated
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
not any; not one
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
noticeableadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəsəbəl/
capable or worthy of being noticed
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
peculiarlyadverbUS /pɪˈkjuːljərli/
uniquely or characteristically
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
in the near future
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
railnounUS /reɪl/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
cut with a saw
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
scornedadjectiveUS /skɔːrnd/
treated with dislike or contempt
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
sidewalknounUS /ˈsaɪdwɔːk/
walk consisting of a paved area for pedestrians; usually beside a street or roadway
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For some reason or no reason he scorned the sidewalk; the middle of the road presently felt his nervous footfall.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
toothnounUS /tuːθ/
hard bonelike structures in the jaws of vertebrates; used for biting and chewing or for attack and defense
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
twitchingnounUS /ˈtwɪtʃɪŋ/
a sudden muscle spasm; especially one caused by a nervous condition
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
UnderneathprepositionUS /ˌʌndərˈniːθ/
directly under, often hidden by what is above
From this reading Underneath him he could feel and hear the droning of the cable.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He went down the steps with his hand clutching the rail with the fervor of a tooth biting on a lip.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If it had been daylight the twitching of his eyes and lip-corners would have been peculiarly noticeable.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading Some hundred yards before him he saw the vivid glare that betokened the headlight of an approaching cable-car.
