used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
(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 When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
eagerly desirous
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
basinnounUS /ˈbeɪsən/
a bowl-shaped vessel; usually used for holding food or liquids
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
BehemothnounUS /bəˈhiːməθ/
someone or something that is abnormally large and powerful
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
Billy'snounUS /ˈbɪliz/
possessive form of “billy” — a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/
possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
bubblesnounUS /ˈbʌbəlz/
plural of “bubble” — a hollow globule of gas (e.g., air or carbon dioxide)
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
canonicaladjectiveUS /kəˈnɑːnəkəl/
appearing in a biblical canon
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
catchingnounUS /ˈkætʃɪŋ/
(baseball) playing the position of catcher on a baseball team
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
a young person of either sex
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
compassnounUS /ˈkʌmpəs/
navigational instrument for finding directions
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
divertingadjectiveUS /daɪˈvɜːrtɪŋ/
providing enjoyment; pleasantly entertaining
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
ellipticaladjectiveUS /ɪˈlɪptɪkəl/
rounded like an egg
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
expectsverbUS /ɪkˈspekts/
third-person singular of “expect” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
a young female
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
glimpsesnounUS /ˈɡlɪmpsɪz/
plural of “glimpse” — a quick look
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
glovesnounUS /ɡlʌvz/
plural of “glove” — the handwear used by fielders in playing baseball
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
headlongadverbUS /ˈhedlɔːŋ/
with the head foremost
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
hippopotamusnounUS /ˌhɪpəˈpɑːtəməs/
massive thick-skinned herbivorous animal living in or around rivers of tropical Africa
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
a sacred place of pilgrimage
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
intuitionnounUS /ˌɪntuːˈɪʃən/
instinctive knowing (without the use of rational processes)
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
knobbyadjectiveUS /ˈnɑːbi/
having knobs
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
languishedverbUS /ˈlæŋɡwɪʃt/
past form of “languish” — lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
lidnounUS /lɪd/
either of two folds of skin that can be moved to cover or open the eye
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
lingeringnounUS /ˈlɪŋɡərɪŋ/
the act of tarrying
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
liningnounUS /ˈlaɪnɪŋ/
a protective covering that protects an inside surface
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
memoriesnounUS /ˈmɛm.ə.riz/
Recollections of past events.
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
a particular point in time
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
monsternounUS /ˈmɑːnstər/
an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
monstrousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːnstrəs/
abnormally large
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
morocconounUS /mərˈɑːkoʊ/
a kingdom (constitutional monarchy) in northwestern Africa with a largely Muslim population; achieved independence from France in 1956
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/
occurring from time to time
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
plungeverbUS /plʌndʒ/
thrust or throw into
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
cut with a saw
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
seemingadjectiveUS /ˈsiːmɪŋ/
appearing as such but not necessarily so
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
sign-board
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
subterraneanadjectiveUS /ˌsʌb.təˈreɪ.ni.ən/
Existing, occurring, or done under the earth's surface.
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
swashnoun
the movement or sound of water
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
in or at that place or location
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
up to a particular time
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
the main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Billy had always languished upon his memories of this diverting beast, and I stood ready to see him plunge headlong the moment that he read the sign-board at the head of the stairs.
vivified
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
vortexnounUS /ˈvɔːrteks/
the shape of something rotating rapidly
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
wallowingverbUS /ˈwɑːloʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “wallow” — devote oneself entirely to something; indulge in to an immoderate degree, usually with pleasure
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
at the time that
From this reading When he paused and hesitated there, not seeming at all anxious to go down till he saw the pretty girl and the child following after,--a sudden intuition flashed across me.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
whirledverbUS /wɜːrld/
past form of “whirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
belonging to which person
From this reading We were lingering about the elliptical basin, and catching occasional glimpses between bubbles of a vivified hair trunk of monstrous compass, whose knobby lid opened at one end and showed a red morocco lining, when the pretty girl, in leaning over to point out the rising monster, dropped into the water one of her little gloves, and the swash made by the hippopotamus drifted it close under Billy's hand.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
WritnounUS /rɪt/
(law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer
From this reading We had reached the stairs to that subterranean chamber in which the Behemoth of Holy Writ was wallowing about without a thought of the dignity which one expects from a canonical character.
a late time of life
From this reading Could it be possible that Billy was caught in that vortex which whirled me down at ten years,--a little boy's first love?
