used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Buildings become to him like living creatures.
bricksnounUS /brɪks/
plural of “brick” — rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
BuildingsnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋz/
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading Buildings become to him like living creatures.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Buildings become to him like living creatures.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
one or the other of two
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
opinion or judgment
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
GUICHET
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading GUICHET THE MODEL.
hieroglyphicsnounUS /ˌhaɪroʊˈɡlɪfɪks/
plural of “hieroglyphic” — writing that resembles hieroglyphics (usually by being illegible)
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Buildings become to him like living creatures.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
house-fronts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Buildings become to him like living creatures.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading Buildings become to him like living creatures.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
the message that is intended or expressed or signified
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
MODELnounUS /ˈmɑːdəl/
a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process
From this reading GUICHET THE MODEL.
mortarnounUS /ˈmɔːrtər/
a muzzle-loading high-angle gun with a short barrel that fires shells at high elevations for a short range
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The streets tell him tales.
plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading The streets tell him tales.
express in words
From this reading The streets tell him tales.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading GUICHET THE MODEL.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
unseenadjectiveUS /ənˈsiːn/
not seen or perceived
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
walksnounUS /wɔːks/
plural of “walk” — the act of traveling by foot
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
which person or people
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
in the company of; together with
From this reading To the man who lives alone and walks about with his eyes open, the mere bricks and mortar of a great city are instinct with character.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading For him, the house-fronts are written over with hieroglyphics which, to the passing crowd, are either unseen or without meaning.
