used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading What Marius now beheld was a hovel.
(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 Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Taking one lair with another, the beast’s is preferable to the man’s.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Caverns are better than hovels.
beast's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Taking one lair with another, the beast’s is preferable to the man’s.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
inflected form of “behold” — see with attention
From this reading What Marius now beheld was a hovel.
(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 Caverns are better than hovels.
cavernsnounUS /ˈkævərnz/
plural of “cavern” — any large dark enclosed space
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
CitiesnounUS /ˈsɪtiz/
plural of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
concealsverbUS /kənˈsiːlz/
third-person singular of “conceal” — prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
containverbUS /kənˈteɪn/
include or contain; have as a component
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
ferociousadjectiveUS /fərˈoʊʃəs/
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
forestsnounUS /ˈfɔːrəsts/
plural of “forest” — the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
formidableadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmədəbəl/
extremely impressive in strength or excellence
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
hovelnounUS /ˈhʌvəl/
small crude shelter used as a dwelling
From this reading What Marius now beheld was a hovel.
hovelsnounUS /ˈhʌvəlz/
plural of “hovel” — small crude shelter used as a dwelling
From this reading Caverns are better than hovels.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
lairnounUS /ler/
the habitation of wild animals
From this reading Taking one lair with another, the beast’s is preferable to the man’s.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Taking one lair with another, the beast’s is preferable to the man’s.
Marius
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What Marius now beheld was a hovel.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading What Marius now beheld was a hovel.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Taking one lair with another, the beast’s is preferable to the man’s.
and nothing more
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
pettyadjectiveUS /ˈpetiː/
inferior in rank or status
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
preferableadjectiveUS /ˈprefərəbəl/
more desirable than another
From this reading Taking one lair with another, the beast’s is preferable to the man’s.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
express in words
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading Taking one lair with another, the beast’s is preferable to the man’s.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Caverns are better than hovels.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
uncleanadjectiveUS /ənˈkliːn/
soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime
From this reading Only, in cities, that which thus conceals itself is ferocious, unclean, and petty, that is to say, ugly; in forests, that which conceals itself is ferocious, savage, and grand, that is to say, beautiful.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What Marius now beheld was a hovel.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What Marius now beheld was a hovel.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
morally bad in principle or practice
From this reading Cities, like forests, have their caverns in which all the most wicked and formidable creatures which they contain conceal themselves.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Taking one lair with another, the beast’s is preferable to the man’s.
