used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
amazingadjectiveUS /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/
surprising greatly
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading One wondered what they could be at.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
completely unclothed
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading One wondered what they could be at.
bleachedadjectiveUS /bliːtʃt/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
cobblersnounUS /ˈkɑːblərz/
nonsense
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
having or capable of producing colors
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading One wondered what they could be at.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
endowedadjectiveUS /enˈdaʊd/
provided or supplied or equipped with (especially as by inheritance or nature)
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When they saw him, however, he was in the shop.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When they saw him, however, he was in the shop.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading When they saw him, however, he was in the shop.
immobilitynounUS /ˌɪmoʊˈbɪlɪti/
remaining in place
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When they saw him, however, he was in the shop.
interminablyadverbUS /ˈɪntərmɪnæbli/
all the time; seemingly without stopping
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
ivorynounUS /ˈaɪvəri/
a hard smooth ivory colored dentine that makes up most of the tusks of elephants and walruses
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
staying power
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
monstrousness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
not in physical motion
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading No, they were never still.
not any; not one
From this reading No, they were never still.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One wondered what they could be at.
and nothing more
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
a human being
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
cut with a saw
From this reading When they saw him, however, he was in the shop.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
do one's shopping
From this reading When they saw him, however, he was in the shop.
a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
From this reading The gloom had bleached the skin to the colour of damp ivory, and against the background of his immobility they moved with a certain amazing monstrousness, interminably.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
not in physical motion
From this reading No, they were never still.
carry out
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When they saw him, however, he was in the shop.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When they saw him, however, he was in the shop.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
torsonounUS /ˈtɔːrsoʊ/
the body excluding the head and neck and limbs
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
vegetablenounUS /ˈvedʒtəbəl/
edible seeds or roots or stems or leaves or bulbs or tubers or nonsweet fruits of any of numerous herbaceous plant
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When they saw him, however, he was in the shop.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading No, they were never still.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading One wondered what they could be at.
at the time that
From this reading When they saw him, however, he was in the shop.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading One wondered what they could be at.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading They opened the door to take in their work (when other cobblers turned them off), and they saw him seated in his chair in the half darkness, his whole person, legs, torso, neck, head, as motionless as the vegetable of which we have spoken--only his hands and his bare arms endowed with visible life.
