used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
alleysnounUS /ˈæliz/
plural of “alley” — a narrow street with walls on both sides
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
babiesnounUS /ˈbeɪbiz/
plural of “baby” — a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
completely unclothed
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
breadthnounUS /bredθ/
the capacity to understand a broad range of topics
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
breatheverbUS /briːð/
draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
clothing in general
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
crawlingnounUS /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
crooningnounUS /ˈkruːnɪŋ/
singing in a soft low tone
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
divisible by two
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading He heard quarrelling and scolding, and every face he looked upon was weary, or stupid and indifferent.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He heard quarrelling and scolding, and every face he looked upon was weary, or stupid and indifferent.
filthyadjectiveUS /ˈfɪlθi/
disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
finger's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
fouladjectiveUS /faʊl/
highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
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 He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He heard quarrelling and scolding, and every face he looked upon was weary, or stupid and indifferent.
heavenlyadjectiveUS /ˈhevənli/
relating to or inhabiting a divine heaven
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
indifferentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfrənt/
marked by a lack of interest
From this reading He heard quarrelling and scolding, and every face he looked upon was weary, or stupid and indifferent.
Johannes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
jostledverbUS /ˈdʒɑːsəld/
past form of “jostle” — make one's way by jostling, pushing, or shoving
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He heard quarrelling and scolding, and every face he looked upon was weary, or stupid and indifferent.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
not any; not one
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He heard quarrelling and scolding, and every face he looked upon was weary, or stupid and indifferent.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
quarrelling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He heard quarrelling and scolding, and every face he looked upon was weary, or stupid and indifferent.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
cut with a saw
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
only a very short time before
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
scoldingnounUS /ˈskoʊldɪŋ/
rebuking a person harshly
From this reading He heard quarrelling and scolding, and every face he looked upon was weary, or stupid and indifferent.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
squalidadjectiveUS /ˈskwɑːləd/
morally degraded
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
not in physical motion
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
stripverbUS /strɪp/
take away possessions from someone
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity
From this reading He heard quarrelling and scolding, and every face he looked upon was weary, or stupid and indifferent.
swarmingverbUS /ˈswɔːrmɪŋ/
-ing form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the houses here, the rooms were so small, so dark and foul, that Johannes could scarcely breathe.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He heard quarrelling and scolding, and every face he looked upon was weary, or stupid and indifferent.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading He heard quarrelling and scolding, and every face he looked upon was weary, or stupid and indifferent.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
in or at the place that
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
which person or people
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Then they passed along filthy streets, where the strip of heavenly blue seemed no more than a finger's breadth wide, and was still more shut out by clothes hung out to air.
in the company of; together with
From this reading These alleys were swarming with people, who jostled each other, shouted, laughed and sometimes even sang.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading He saw squalid children crawling about on the bare floor, and young girls with tangled hair crooning songs to pale, hungry babies.
