used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
anew
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
(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 The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
ChinanounUS /ˈtʃaɪnə/
a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
compactnounUS /ˈkɑːmpækt/
a small cosmetics case with a mirror; to be carried in a woman's purse
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
without stop or interruption
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading The first thing to be done was to strike a light, and see what sort of a place I was floating in.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading The first thing to be done was to strike a light, and see what sort of a place I was floating in.
past form of “fold” — bend or lay so that one part covers the other
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
indefiniteadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdefənət/
vague or not clearly defined or stated
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
lanternsnounUS /ˈlæntərnz/
plural of “lantern” — light in a transparent protective case
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The first thing to be done was to strike a light, and see what sort of a place I was floating in.
matchesnounUS /ˈmætʃəz/
plural of “match” — lighter consisting of a thin piece of wood or cardboard tipped with combustible chemical; ignites with friction
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
under a moral obligation to do something
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The first thing to be done was to strike a light, and see what sort of a place I was floating in.
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
reverberateverbUS /rɪˈvɜːrbərət/
ring or echo with sound
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The first thing to be done was to strike a light, and see what sort of a place I was floating in.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
in the near future
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading The first thing to be done was to strike a light, and see what sort of a place I was floating in.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
stationaryadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪʃəneri/
standing still
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading The first thing to be done was to strike a light, and see what sort of a place I was floating in.
past form of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
give something useful or necessary to
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
a special situation
From this reading The first thing to be done was to strike a light, and see what sort of a place I was floating in.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
precisely as stated
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The idea that came to me was at first very vague and indefinite; neither was it at all certain that my plan could be carried out.
waxverbUS /wæks/
cover with wax
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The first thing to be done was to strike a light, and see what sort of a place I was floating in.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading It had been suggested by a peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as soon as I became stationary, and which had continued to reverberate through the darkness all the while.
WHOPPERnounUS /ˈwɑːpər/
a gross untruth; a blatant lie
From this reading HOW JOHN WHOPPER GOT CAUGHT IN THE EARTH, AND THEN GOT OUT AGAIN.
in the company of; together with
From this reading As I had been obliged, while in China, to be about so much at night, I had provided myself with one of those compact lanterns, which can be folded up, and carried in the pocket, with a good supply of best wax matches.
