Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

forsaken by owner or inhabitants

From this reading Once abroad, they had been shamefully abandoned, and had been driven, to escape starvation, to resort to the vilest expedients.

to or in a foreign country

From this reading Once abroad, they had been shamefully abandoned, and had been driven, to escape starvation, to resort to the vilest expedients.

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

of surpassing excellence

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

amazingly impressive; suggestive of the flashing of lightning

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

an effort that is inconvenient

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

compelled forcibly by an outside agency

From this reading Once abroad, they had been shamefully abandoned, and had been driven, to escape starvation, to resort to the vilest expedients.

-ing form of “earn” — earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

the act of escaping physically

From this reading Once abroad, they had been shamefully abandoned, and had been driven, to escape starvation, to resort to the vilest expedients.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Once abroad, they had been shamefully abandoned, and had been driven, to escape starvation, to resort to the vilest expedients.

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

plural of “franc” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 centimes

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

having an easygoing and cheerful disposition

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

a condition requiring relief

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

on one occasion

From this reading Once abroad, they had been shamefully abandoned, and had been driven, to escape starvation, to resort to the vilest expedients.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

of or relating to or characteristic of Paris or its inhabitants

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

plural of “promise” — a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do (or not to do) something in the future

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

a hotel located in a resort area

From this reading Once abroad, they had been shamefully abandoned, and had been driven, to escape starvation, to resort to the vilest expedients.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

in a dishonorable manner or to a dishonorable degree

From this reading Once abroad, they had been shamefully abandoned, and had been driven, to escape starvation, to resort to the vilest expedients.

having or showing or requiring special skill

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

the utterance of intelligible speech

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

a state of extreme hunger resulting from lack of essential nutrients over a prolonged period

From this reading Once abroad, they had been shamefully abandoned, and had been driven, to escape starvation, to resort to the vilest expedients.

declared as fact; explicitly stated

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

dependable

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Once abroad, they had been shamefully abandoned, and had been driven, to escape starvation, to resort to the vilest expedients.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

precisely as stated

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Once abroad, they had been shamefully abandoned, and had been driven, to escape starvation, to resort to the vilest expedients.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

(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 At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

at the time that

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

in or at the place that

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

which person or people

From this reading “But I knew several poor girls, who, on the faith of dazzling promises, had expatriated themselves.

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

in the company of; together with

From this reading At the end of a month, I was earning four to five francs a day, when, one afternoon, a stout man, very well dressed, looking honest and good-natured, and speaking French with some difficulty, made his appearance at my room.

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.

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 Having need of a skilled Parisian work-woman, he came to propose to me to follow him to New York, where he would insure me a brilliant position.