used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
(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 iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
animationsnounUS /ˌænəˈmeɪʃənz/
plural of “animation” — the condition of living or the state of being alive
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
a distinct feature or element in a problem
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
a line of approach
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
installation from which a military force initiates operations
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
beingsnounUS /ˈbiːɪŋz/
plural of “being” — the state or fact of existing
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
borrowverbUS /ˈbɑːroʊ/
get temporarily
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
the two together, not just one
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
commoditiesnounUS /kəˈmɑːdətiz/
plural of “commodity” — articles of commerce
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
curtainedadjective
furnished or concealed with curtains or draperies
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
detachmentnounUS /dɪˈtætʃmənt/
avoiding emotional involvement
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
elevated-railroad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
flowingnounUS /ˈfloʊɪŋ/
the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
frontsnounUS /frʌnts/
plural of “front” — the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
hardnessnounUS /ˈhɑːrdnəs/
the property of being rigid and resistant to pressure; not easily scratched; measured on Mohs scale
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
the act of retaining something
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
inertianounUS /ˌɪˈnɜːrʃə/
a disposition to remain inactive or inert
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
lifelessadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪfləs/
deprived of life; no longer living
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
lurkedverbUS /lɜːrkt/
past form of “lurk” — lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
NinthnounUS /naɪnθ/
position nine in a countable series of things
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
oblongadjectiveUS /ˈɑːblɔːŋ/
(of a leaf shape) having a somewhat elongated form with approximately parallel sides
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
oddlyadverbUS /ˈɑːdli/
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
pavementsnounUS /ˈpeɪvmənts/
plural of “pavement” — the paved surface of a thoroughfare
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
on the contrary
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
move hurridly
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
shopsnounUS /ʃɑːps/
plural of “shop” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
smudgedverbUS /smʌdʒd/
past form of “smudge” — make a smudge on; soil by smudging
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
stiffnessnounUS /ˈstɪfnəs/
the physical property of being inflexible and hard to bend
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
plural of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
stretchingnounUS /ˈstretʃɪŋ/
act of expanding by lengthening or widening
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
structurenounUS /ˈstrʌktʃər/
a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
tawdryadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːdri/
tastelessly showy
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
topsadjectiveUS /tɑːps/
of the highest quality
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
touchesnounUS /ˈtʌtʃəz/
plural of “touch” — the event of something coming in contact with the body
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
trainsnounUS /treɪnz/
plural of “train” — public transport provided by a line of railway cars coupled together and drawn by a locomotive
From this reading The iron elevated-railroad structure that extended down the street, with all of its roar and rush of trains, could not destroy the spirit of silent inertia that lurked within the scene.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
precisely as stated
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
warehousesnounUS /ˈwerhaʊzɪz/
plural of “warehouse” — a storehouse for goods and merchandise
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
at the time that
From this reading When the light of morning touches the buildings and pavements of a city, it always seems to borrow their hardness and to lose in some degree its quality of flowing detachment.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The buildings, with their smudged, flat fronts and tops, presented the impression of huge warehouses stretching down both sides of the street--the appearance of holding commodities rather than human beings.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Most of them were five or six stories in height, and their curtained, oblong windows and the bright, tawdry shops at their base had an oddly lifeless aspect, in spite of the sounds and animations which occurred within and around them.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading The Sunday morning that fell upon Ninth Avenue, New York City, gave you a sense of invisible stiffness in its very air.
