used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
beckonedverbUS /ˈbekənd/
past form of “beckon” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Just as he laid his hand on the door Carl came into the passage.
Carl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as he laid his hand on the door Carl came into the passage.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
chumnounUS /tʃʌm/
a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
From this reading Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
corridornounUS /ˈkɔːrədər/
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
without deviation
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
feel or handle with the fingers
From this reading Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Just as he laid his hand on the door Carl came into the passage.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Just as he laid his hand on the door Carl came into the passage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
incandescentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnkənˈdesənt/
emitting light as a result of being heated
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Just as he laid his hand on the door Carl came into the passage.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
and nothing more
From this reading Just as he laid his hand on the door Carl came into the passage.
set down according to a plan
From this reading Just as he laid his hand on the door Carl came into the passage.
lampsnounUS /læmps/
plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
set afire or burning
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
MattnounUS /mæt/
the property of having little or no contrast; lacking highlights or gloss
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
MATT'SnounUS /mætz/
possessive form of “matt” — the property of having little or no contrast; lacking highlights or gloss
From this reading MOTOR MATT'S SUCCESS.
MOTORnounUS /ˈmoʊtər/
machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion
From this reading MOTOR MATT'S SUCCESS.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
not any; not one
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Just as he laid his hand on the door Carl came into the passage.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
From this reading MOTOR MATT'S SUCCESS.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage.
tokennounUS /ˈtoʊkən/
an individual instance of a type of symbol
From this reading Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
a source of difficulty
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
