used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
(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 But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
from appearances alone
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
ArmadanounUS /ɑːrˈmɑːdə/
a large fleet
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
BabylonnounUS /ˈbæbəlɑːn/
the chief city of ancient Mesopotamia and capital of the ancient kingdom of Babylonia
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
BastillenounUS /ˈbæstɪl/
a fortress built in Paris in the 14th century and used as a prison in the 17th and 18th centuries; it was destroyed July 14, 1789 at the start of the French Revolution
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
BunkernounUS /ˈbʌŋkər/
a hazard on a golf course
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
the act of burning something
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
CaesarnounUS /ˈsiːzər/
conqueror of Gaul and master of Italy (100-44 BC)
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
CarthagenounUS /ˈkɑːrθədʒ/
an ancient city state on the north African coast near modern Tunis; founded by Phoenicians; destroyed and rebuilt by Romans; razed by Arabs in 697
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
corridornounUS /ˈkɔːrədər/
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
traveling across
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
CrusadesnounUS /kruːˈseɪdz/
plural of “crusade” — a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
DelawarenounUS /ˈdeləwer/
a river that rises in the Catskills in southeastern New York and flows southward along the border of Pennsylvania with New York and New Jersey to northern Delaware where it empties into Delaware Bay
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
opinion or judgment
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
start firing a weapon
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
a quick look
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
in a gradual manner
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
historicaladjectiveUS /hɪˈstɔːrɪkəl/
of or relating to the study of history
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
Julius
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
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 Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
ParthenonnounUS /ˈpɑːrθənɑːn/
the main temple of the goddess Athena; built on the acropolis in Athens more than 400 years B.C.; example of Doric architecture
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
pneumaticadjectiveUS /nuːˈmætɪk/
of or relating to or using air (or a similar gas)
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
racingnounUS /ˈreɪsɪŋ/
the sport of engaging in contests of speed
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
recognizeverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/
accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
representingverbUS /ˌreprɪˈzentɪŋ/
-ing form of “represent” — take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
RubiconnounUS /ˈruːbɪkɔːn/
the boundary in ancient times between Italy and Gaul; Caesar's crossing it with his army in 49 BC was an act of war
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
cut with a saw
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
plural of “scene” — the place where some action occurs
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
self-possessionnoun
the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
siegenounUS /siːdʒ/
the action of an armed force that surrounds a fortified place and isolates it while continuing to attack
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
in the near future
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
telegramnounUS /ˈteləɡræm/
a message transmitted by telegraph
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
Tommy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
TroynounUS /trɔɪ/
a system of weights used for precious metals and gemstones; based on a 12-ounce pound and an ounce of 480 grains
From this reading Soon he saw the Spanish Armada and the Crusades, and, later, the burning of Rome, Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, the siege of Carthage, the building of the Parthenon, the destruction of Troy, the fall of Babylon, and afterwards many other things that he could not recognize.
hard to endure
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
tubenounUS /tuːb/
conduit consisting of a long hollow object (usually cylindrical) used to hold and conduct objects or liquids or gases
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading As soon as Tommy recovered his self-possession--or as much of it as he could under these trying circumstances--he opened his eyes and looked about him.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading But his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could see that there were pictures on the walls--battle pictures, and scenes representing all sorts of historical events.
the capital of the United States in the District of Columbia and a tourist mecca; George Washington commissioned Charles L'Enfant to lay out the city in 1791
From this reading He caught a glimpse of Washington crossing the Delaware, and of the battle of Bunker Hill; he saw the taking of the Bastille, and the great London fire.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He could not see much, for they were apparently racing down a dark, narrow corridor, "like a telegram in a pneumatic tube," he thought.
