used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
completely unclothed
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Can you be comfortable?' said Lucy, in some dismay.
have
From this reading 'Can you bear it?
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
bitsnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
bricknounUS /brɪk/
rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material
From this reading The floor was of brick and very dirty.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading 'Can you bear it?
cellsnounUS /selz/
plural of “cell” — any small compartment
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading Can you be comfortable?' said Lucy, in some dismay.
corridornounUS /ˈkɔːrədər/
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
dirtyadjectiveUS /ˈdɜːrti/
soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime
From this reading The floor was of brick and very dirty.
dismaynounUS /dɪˈsmeɪ/
the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
From this reading Can you be comfortable?' said Lucy, in some dismay.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The floor was of brick and very dirty.
at a previous time
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Can you be comfortable?' said Lucy, in some dismay.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading 'Can you bear it?
incomplete skeleton of female found in eastern Ethiopia in 1974
From this reading Can you be comfortable?' said Lucy, in some dismay.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
palliassenoun
mattress consisting of a thin pad filled with straw or sawdust
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Can you be comfortable?' said Lucy, in some dismay.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Can you be comfortable?' said Lucy, in some dismay.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
the topmost one of two
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
precisely as stated
From this reading The floor was of brick and very dirty.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The floor was of brick and very dirty.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were in one of the four or five bare rooms that had been given up to them.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
worm-eatenadjective
infested with or damaged (as if eaten) by worms
From this reading A bed with a straw palliasse, one or two broken chairs, and bits of worm-eaten furniture filled what had formerly been one of a row of cells running along an upper corridor.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading 'Can you bear it?
