used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
(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 He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
a flexible container with a single opening
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
barrelnounUS /ˈbærəl/
a tube through which a bullet travels when a gun is fired
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
bruisedverbUS /bruːzd/
past form of “bruise” — injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
candlesnounUS /ˈkændəlz/
plural of “candle” — stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading He climbed out stiffly.
an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
crackverbUS /kræk/
become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
crawlingnounUS /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
the first light of day
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
set up or found
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
hardnessnounUS /ˈhɑːrdnəs/
the property of being rigid and resistant to pressure; not easily scratched; measured on Mohs scale
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
odournounUS /ˈoʊdər/
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
and nothing more
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
potatoesnounUS /pəˈteɪtoʊz/
plural of “potato” — an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
PushingnounUS /ˈpʊʃɪŋ/
the act of applying force in order to move something away
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
railroad-yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
sacksnounUS /sæks/
plural of “sack” — a bag made of paper or plastic for holding customer's purchases
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
cut with a saw
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
sidingnounUS /ˈsaɪdɪŋ/
a short stretch of railroad track used to store rolling stock or enable trains on the same line to pass
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
slidingadjectiveUS /ˈslaɪdɪŋ/
being a smooth continuous motion
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
stationaryadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪʃəneri/
standing still
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
stifflyadverbUS /ˈstɪfli/
in a stiff manner
From this reading He climbed out stiffly.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
strainedadjectiveUS /streɪnd/
lacking natural ease
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
tallownounUS /ˈtæloʊ/
obtained from suet and used in making soap, candles and lubricants
From this reading He had slept all night in a strained position between a barrel of tallow candles and a bag of potatoes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading As he listened he could not hear a sound, and crawling out from between the sacks in the car, he saw the dim light of early dawn through a crack in the door.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Pushing open the sliding door he discovered that the car had stopped on a siding in an immense railroad-yard and that he was the only soul in sight.
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
at the time that
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In spite of the hardness of the potatoes on which he lay and the odour of the candles, he lost consciousness for a part of the night, and when he awoke, bruised and weary, he found the car stationary.
