adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
abackadverbUS /əˈbæk/
having the wind against the forward side of the sails
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
admittedverbUS /ədˈmɪtɪd/
inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/
in addition
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
bestnounUS /best/
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
Breen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
bringverbUS /brɪŋ/
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
cellarnounUS /ˈselər/
the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
charactersnounUS /ˈkærəktərz/
plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
ConounUS /koʊ/
an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
coal-hole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
departingverbUS /dɪˈpɑːrtɪŋ/
-ing form of “depart” — move away from a place into another direction
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
doornounUS /dɔːr/
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
emptinessnounUS /ˈemptinəs/
the state of containing nothing
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/
apart from; not including
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
financiersnounUS /ˌfɪnənˈsɪrz/
plural of “financier” — a person skilled in large scale financial transactions
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
finestadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəst/
superlative of “fine” — being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
firmadjectiveUS /fɜːrm/
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
frontnounUS /frʌnt/
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
GentlemannounUS /ˈdʒentəlmən/
a man of refinement
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
getverbUS /ɡet/
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
halfadjectiveUS /hæf/
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
importantadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/
of great significance or value
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
intelligencenounUS /ˌɪnˈtelədʒəns/
the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
intervalsnounUS /ˈɪntərvəlz/
plural of “interval” — a definite length of time marked off by two instants
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
joltnounUS /dʒoʊlt/
a sudden jarring impact
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
lidnounUS /lɪd/
either of two folds of skin that can be moved to cover or open the eye
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
markedadjectiveUS /mɑːrkt/
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Well, that's one on me!”
mechanismnounUS /ˈmekənɪzəm/
the atomic process that occurs during a chemical reaction
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
mentaladjectiveUS /ˈmentəl/
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/
a particular point in time
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
mostadverbUS /moʊst/
used to form the superlative
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
OldadjectiveUS /oʊld/
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Well, that's one on me!”
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Well, that's one on me!”
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
Parkins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
Parkins's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
placenounUS /pleɪs/
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
Portman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
rareadjectiveUS /rer/
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
rushverbUS /rʌʃ/
move hurridly
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
SendverbUS /send/
cause to go somewhere
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
severaladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
shrewdestadjectiveUS /ˈʃruːdəst/
superlative of “shrewd” — marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
that's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Well, that's one on me!”
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
tookverbUS /tʊk/
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
undecidedadjectiveUS /ˌʌndɪˈsaɪdɪd/
not brought to a conclusion; subject to further thought
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
upperadjectiveUS /ˈʌpər/
the topmost one of two
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
visitornounUS /ˈvɪzɪtər/
someone who visits
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
WelladverbUS /wel/
(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 Well, that's one on me!”
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
WithprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
WorldnounUS /wɜːrld/
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
