used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The rostrum consisted of a small table, uncertain about the legs, with a worm-eaten desk upon it.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading MT FIRST AND ONLY APPEARANCE AS AN AUCTIONEER.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MT FIRST AND ONLY APPEARANCE AS AN AUCTIONEER.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading MT FIRST AND ONLY APPEARANCE AS AN AUCTIONEER.
nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading MT FIRST AND ONLY APPEARANCE AS AN AUCTIONEER.
ascendedverbUS /əˈsendɪd/
past form of “ascend” — travel up
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
AUCTIONEERnounUS /ˌɑːkʃəˈnɪr/
an agent who conducts an auction
From this reading MT FIRST AND ONLY APPEARANCE AS AN AUCTIONEER.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
the act of breaking something
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
being joined in close association
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
consistedverbUS /kənˈsɪstəd/
past form of “consist” — originate
From this reading The rostrum consisted of a small table, uncertain about the legs, with a worm-eaten desk upon it.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading The rostrum consisted of a small table, uncertain about the legs, with a worm-eaten desk upon it.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
FIRSTadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading MT FIRST AND ONLY APPEARANCE AS AN AUCTIONEER.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
friend'snounUS /frendz/
possessive form of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
inclinationnounUS /ˌɪnkləˈneɪʃən/
an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
infallibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfæləbəl/
incapable of failure or error
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
staying power
From this reading The rostrum consisted of a small table, uncertain about the legs, with a worm-eaten desk upon it.
lifetimenounUS /ˈlaɪftaɪm/
the period during which something is functional (as between birth and death)
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
occurring by chance
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
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 force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
MTnounUS /maʊnt/
a radioactive transuranic element
From this reading MT FIRST AND ONLY APPEARANCE AS AN AUCTIONEER.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
not any; not one
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
officiatedverbUS /əˈfɪʃieɪtəd/
past form of “officiate” — act in an official capacity in a ceremony or religious ritual, such as a wedding
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
and nothing more
From this reading MT FIRST AND ONLY APPEARANCE AS AN AUCTIONEER.
in other respects or ways
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
the local environment
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
(of games) engaged in
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
rostrumnounUS /ˈrɑːstrəm/
a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
ScrapeverbUS /skreɪp/
scratch repeatedly
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
shakyadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪki/
inclined to shake as from weakness or defect
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The rostrum consisted of a small table, uncertain about the legs, with a worm-eaten desk upon it.
stampingverbUS /ˈstæmpɪŋ/
-ing form of “stamp” — walk heavily
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
successfullyadverbUS /səkˈsesfəli/
with success; in a successful manner
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
surreptitiousadjectiveUS /ˌsɜːrəpˈtɪʃəs/
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading The rostrum consisted of a small table, uncertain about the legs, with a worm-eaten desk upon it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
uncertainadjectiveUS /ənˈsɜːrtən/
lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
From this reading The rostrum consisted of a small table, uncertain about the legs, with a worm-eaten desk upon it.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The rostrum consisted of a small table, uncertain about the legs, with a worm-eaten desk upon it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _The force of Circumstances--An infallible System--Led to Ruin--Getting Out of One Scrape into Another--A Lucky Escape._ In my lifetime I have played many parts, successfully and otherwise, but it was only on one occasion I officiated as an auctioneer.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The circumstances connected with this position were too many for me, and I ascended the rostrum much against my inclination.
worm-eatenadjective
infested with or damaged (as if eaten) by worms
From this reading The rostrum consisted of a small table, uncertain about the legs, with a worm-eaten desk upon it.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It would have been a piece of good fortune if that shaky article of furniture had, like my friend's system of breaking the bank, broken down; but no surreptitious stamping would bring it to the ground.
