used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
quickly and without warning
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It appeared that the arrival of these men was what Jondrette had been waiting for.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading It appeared that the arrival of these men was what Jondrette had been waiting for.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It appeared that the arrival of these men was what Jondrette had been waiting for.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading A rapid dialogue ensued between him and the man with the cudgel, the thin one.
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 door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
bladenounUS /bleɪd/
especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
blousesnounUS /ˈblaʊsəz/
plural of “blouse” — a top worn by women
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
butcher'snounUS /ˈbʊtʃərz/
possessive form of “butcher” — a retailer of meat
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
cladadjectiveUS /klæd/
wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
colossusnounUS /kəˈlɑːsəs/
someone or something that is abnormally large and powerful
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
cudgelnounUS /ˈkʌdʒəl/
a club that is used as a weapon
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
dialoguenounUS /ˈdaɪəlɔːɡ/
a conversation between two persons
From this reading A rapid dialogue ensued between him and the man with the cudgel, the thin one.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
downwardadjectiveUS /ˈdaʊnwərd/
extending or moving from a higher to a lower place
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
ensuedverbUS /ɪnˈsuːd/
past form of “ensue” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end
From this reading A rapid dialogue ensued between him and the man with the cudgel, the thin one.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
garretnounUS /ˈɡerɪt/
floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A rapid dialogue ensued between him and the man with the cudgel, the thin one.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
iron-tipped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It appeared that the arrival of these men was what Jondrette had been waiting for.
Jondrette
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It appeared that the arrival of these men was what Jondrette had been waiting for.
and nothing more
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
linennounUS /ˈlɪnən/
a fabric woven with fibers from the flax plant
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
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 The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
maskedadjectiveUS /mæskt/
having its true character concealed with the intent of misleading
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
masksnounUS /mæsks/
plural of “mask” — a covering to disguise or conceal the face
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
the force of workers available
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A rapid dialogue ensued between him and the man with the cudgel, the thin one.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
pole-axe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading A rapid dialogue ensued between him and the man with the cudgel, the thin one.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
slaughteringverbUS /ˈslɔːtərɪŋ/
-ing form of “slaughter” — kill (animals) usually for food consumption
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
inflected form of “steal” — take without the owner's consent
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It appeared that the arrival of these men was what Jondrette had been waiting for.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It appeared that the arrival of these men was what Jondrette had been waiting for.
thick-set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not so slender as the first, held in his hand an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading It appeared that the arrival of these men was what Jondrette had been waiting for.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It appeared that the arrival of these men was what Jondrette had been waiting for.
which person or people
From this reading The first was thin, and had a long, iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a sort of colossus, carried, by the middle of the handle, with the blade downward, a butcher’s pole-axe for slaughtering cattle.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The door of the garret had just opened abruptly, and allowed a view of three men clad in blue linen blouses, and masked with masks of black paper.
