used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A RESERVED LADY.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
(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 There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
babelnounUS /ˈbæbəl/
(Genesis 11:1-11) a tower built by Noah's descendants (probably in Babylon) who intended it to reach up to heaven; God foiled them by confusing their language so they could no longer understand one another
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
barrenadjectiveUS /ˈbærən/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
BombaynounUS /bɑːmˈbeɪ/
a city in western India just off the coast of the Arabian Sea; India's 2nd largest city (after Calcutta); has the only natural deep-water harbor in western India
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
cactusnounUS /ˈkæktəs/
any succulent plant of the family Cactaceae native chiefly to arid regions of the New World and usually having spines
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
CalcuttanounUS /ˌkælˈkʌtə/
the largest city in India and one of the largest cities in the world; located in eastern India; suffers from poverty and overcrowding
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
chieflyadverbUS /ˈtʃiːfli/
for the most part
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
dismaladjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/
causing dejection
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
emanatingverbUS /ˈeməneɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “emanate” — proceed or issue forth, as from a source
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
emotionaladjectiveUS /ɪˈmoʊʃənəl/
determined or actuated by emotion rather than reason
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
EuropeannounUS /ˌjʊrəˈpiːən/
a native or inhabitant of Europe
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
divisible by two
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
furnacenounUS /ˈfɜːrnəs/
an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
ghostlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊstli/
resembling or characteristic of a phantom
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
glarenounUS /ɡler/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
hedgeverbUS /hedʒ/
avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
temporary military shelter
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
illuminatesverbUS /ˌɪˈluːməneɪts/
third-person singular of “illuminate” — make lighter or brighter
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
of the present time and place
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
inscrutableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈskruːtəbəl/
of an obscure nature
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
junglenounUS /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/
a location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading A RESERVED LADY.
lampsnounUS /læmps/
plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
loomsnounUS /luːmz/
plural of “loom” — a textile machine for weaving yarn into a textile
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
march in a procession
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
men'snounUS /menz/
a public toilet for men
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
moonlessadjective
without a moon or a visible moon
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
not any; not one
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
RESERVEDadjectiveUS /rɪˈzɜːrvd/
set aside for the use of a particular person or party
From this reading A RESERVED LADY.
rockyadjectiveUS /ˈrɑːki/
abounding in rocks or stones
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
shrieksnounUS /ʃriːks/
plural of “shriek” — sharp piercing cry
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
shrilladjectiveUS /ʃrɪl/
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
signalman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
snortingnounUS /ˈsnɔːrtɪŋ/
an act of forcible exhalation
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
standstillnounUS /ˈstændstɪl/
a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
steamverbUS /stiːm/
travel by means of steam power
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
swallowedverbUS /ˈswɑːloʊd/
past form of “swallow” — pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
telegraph-posts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
throatsnounUS /θroʊts/
plural of “throat” — the passage to the stomach and lungs; in the front part of the neck below the chin and above the collarbone
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
in the direction of
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
tractnounUS /trækt/
an extended area of land
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The glare from the furnace and the carriage lamps lights up the ghostly looking telegraph-posts, the dusty cactus hedge, and illuminates a small portion of the surrounding jungle.
up-mail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hot moonless night towards the end of March, and the up-mail from Bombay to Calcutta has come to a standstill.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading There is a babel of men’s voices, shrill and emotional, and not emanating from European throats, a running of many feet, and above all is heard the snorting of the engine and the dismal shrieks of the steam whistle.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Anxiously gazing eyes see no sign of a station, or even of a signalman’s hut, within the immediate glare--and beyond it there looms a rocky, barren tract, chiefly swallowed up in inscrutable darkness.
