used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
bakernounUS /ˈbeɪkər/
someone who bakes commercially
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
brevitynounUS /ˈbrevəti/
the use of brief expressions
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
CHIMNEY-TOPS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "WHEN SCREECH-OWLS CROAK UPON THE CHIMNEY-TOPS."
chocolatenounUS /ˈtʃɔːklət/
a beverage made from cocoa powder and milk and sugar; usually drunk hot
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
clatteringverbUS /ˈklætərɪŋ/
-ing form of “clatter” — make a rattling sound
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
coalnounUS /koʊl/
fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
compactedverbUS /kəmˈpæktɪd/
past form of “compact” — have the property of being packable or of compacting easily
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
CROAKverbUS /kroʊk/
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading "WHEN SCREECH-OWLS CROAK UPON THE CHIMNEY-TOPS."
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
dimlyadverbUS /ˈdɪmli/
in a dim indistinct manner
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
a social unit living together
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
a social unit living together
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
people of Ireland or of Irish extraction
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
lamentingadjectiveUS /ləˈmentɪŋ/
vocally expressing grief or sorrow or resembling such expression
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
landlordnounUS /ˈlændlɔːrd/
a landowner who leases to others
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
immediately past
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
lodgers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
milk-pails
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
MollynounUS /ˈmɑːli/
popular aquarium fish
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
the middle of the day
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
and nothing more
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
PolandnounUS /ˈpoʊlənd/
a republic in central Europe; the invasion of Poland by Germany in 1939 started World War II
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
retireverbUS /rɪˈtaɪr/
go into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
rollsnounUS /roʊlz/
plural of “roll” — rotary motion of an object around its own axis
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
only a very short time before
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
SCREECH-OWLS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "WHEN SCREECH-OWLS CROAK UPON THE CHIMNEY-TOPS."
shuttingnounUS /ˈʃʌtɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
the state of being asleep
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
in a strange manner
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
sundialnounUS /ˈsʌndaɪl/
timepiece that indicates the daylight hours by the shadow that the gnomon casts on a calibrated dial
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
sweepverbUS /swiːp/
sweep across or over
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The cry of the sweep and the small coal man, the baker with his rolls, and Irish Molly with her clattering milk-pails, passed over the sleeping household, and was scarce heard dimly in a dream by any member of that strangely compacted family.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "WHEN SCREECH-OWLS CROAK UPON THE CHIMNEY-TOPS."
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
in the direction of
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
UPONprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "WHEN SCREECH-OWLS CROAK UPON THE CHIMNEY-TOPS."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The lodgers were for the most part such gentlemen as only began to think of their morning tea or chocolate when it was afternoon by the sundial.
at the time that
From this reading "WHEN SCREECH-OWLS CROAK UPON THE CHIMNEY-TOPS."
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading The landlord and his wife, being always among the last to retire, rose late in the morning with a struggle, lamenting the brevity of the night.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The house in Poland Street was scarce alive with the sound of footsteps on the stairs, or the opening and shutting of doors, until the day was well on towards noon.
