used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A colored boy brought in letters from the mail.
agitationnounUS /ˌædʒəˈteɪʃən/
a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
arrangingnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒɪŋ/
the act of arranging and adapting a piece of music
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
a youthful male person
From this reading A colored boy brought in letters from the mail.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading A colored boy brought in letters from the mail.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
Clayton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
coloredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌlərd/
having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination
From this reading A colored boy brought in letters from the mail.
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/
treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance
From this reading Immediately he started, with the open letter crushed in his hand, seized his hat, and rushed to the nearest livery-stable.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A colored boy brought in letters from the mail.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Immediately he started, with the open letter crushed in his hand, seized his hat, and rushed to the nearest livery-stable.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading Immediately he started, with the open letter crushed in his hand, seized his hat, and rushed to the nearest livery-stable.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading Immediately he started, with the open letter crushed in his hand, seized his hat, and rushed to the nearest livery-stable.
impatiencenounUS /ˌɪmˈpeɪʃəns/
a lack of patience; irritation with anything that causes delay
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
law-office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading Immediately he started, with the open letter crushed in his hand, seized his hat, and rushed to the nearest livery-stable.
the literary culture
From this reading A colored boy brought in letters from the mail.
livery-stable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Immediately he started, with the open letter crushed in his hand, seized his hat, and rushed to the nearest livery-stable.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
mailnounUS /meɪl/
the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
From this reading A colored boy brought in letters from the mail.
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading Immediately he started, with the open letter crushed in his hand, seized his hat, and rushed to the nearest livery-stable.
absolutely essential
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Immediately he started, with the open letter crushed in his hand, seized his hat, and rushed to the nearest livery-stable.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
with low volume
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
with speed
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
done under pressure
From this reading Immediately he started, with the open letter crushed in his hand, seized his hat, and rushed to the nearest livery-stable.
past form of “seize” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Immediately he started, with the open letter crushed in his hand, seized his hat, and rushed to the nearest livery-stable.
selectingverbUS /səˈlektɪŋ/
-ing form of “select” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Immediately he started, with the open letter crushed in his hand, seized his hat, and rushed to the nearest livery-stable.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Clayton was quietly sitting in his law-office, looking over and arranging some papers necessary to closing his business.
WILDERNESSnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He looked them over rapidly; and, selecting one, read it with great agitation and impatience.
