Chapter XII · The Sanctum

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

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

past form of “ache” — feel physical pain

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

in a keen or penetrating way

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The young men dressed next morning in almost complete silence.

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

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

feeling shame or guilt or embarrassment or remorse

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

pleasing to the eye or mind especially through beauty or charm

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

not in a state of sleep; completely conscious

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage

From this reading They went through the forms of breakfast in the basement, too, without much conversation.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading They were well on their way to the office before Tom’s silent mood wore away.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

eat an early morning meal

From this reading They went through the forms of breakfast in the basement, too, without much conversation.

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

come or bring to a finish or an end

From this reading The young men dressed next morning in almost complete silence.

perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.

From this reading They went through the forms of breakfast in the basement, too, without much conversation.

(United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

plural of “cup” — a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

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

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

inflected form of “drink” — take in liquids

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

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

From this reading The young men dressed next morning in almost complete silence.

the condition of not containing or being covered by a liquid (especially water)

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

earlier in time; previously

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading They went through the forms of breakfast in the basement, too, without much conversation.

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

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

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

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

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

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

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

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The young men dressed next morning in almost complete silence.

past form of “introduce” — cause to come to know personally

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

full of or showing high-spirited merriment

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

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

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

the force of workers available

From this reading The young men dressed next morning in almost complete silence.

being roughly between 45 and 65 years old

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling

From this reading They were well on their way to the office before Tom’s silent mood wore away.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading The young men dressed next morning in almost complete silence.

the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading The young men dressed next morning in almost complete silence.

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They went through the forms of breakfast in the basement, too, without much conversation.

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading They were well on their way to the office before Tom’s silent mood wore away.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading They were well on their way to the office before Tom’s silent mood wore away.

and nothing more

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

in a set manner without serious attention; as a formality

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

just preceding something else in time or order

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

plural of “question” — an instance of questioning

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

plural of “recollection” — the ability to recall past occurrences

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

(Old Testament) third son of Adam and Eve; given by God in place of the murdered Abel

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading The young men dressed next morning in almost complete silence.

marked by absence of sound

From this reading They were well on their way to the office before Tom’s silent mood wore away.

ready to fall asleep

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

not in physical motion

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

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

From this reading The young men dressed next morning in almost complete silence.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading They were well on their way to the office before Tom’s silent mood wore away.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

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

From this reading They went through the forms of breakfast in the basement, too, without much conversation.

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading They went through the forms of breakfast in the basement, too, without much conversation.

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

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

male cat

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

possessive form of “tom” — male cat

From this reading They were well on their way to the office before Tom’s silent mood wore away.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading They went through the forms of breakfast in the basement, too, without much conversation.

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

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading They were well on their way to the office before Tom’s silent mood wore away.

in a weary manner

From this reading Tom was still sleepy, and seemed much less jovial and attractive than he had been the previous evening; Seth, accustomed to far earlier rising, was acutely awake, but his head ached wearily and there was a dreadful dryness in his mouth and throat.

(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 They were well on their way to the office before Tom’s silent mood wore away.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading They went through the forms of breakfast in the basement, too, without much conversation.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading They were well on their way to the office before Tom’s silent mood wore away.

which person or people

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading They went through the forms of breakfast in the basement, too, without much conversation.

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Seth was ashamed of the number of cups of coffee he drank, and carried away only confused recollections of having been introduced to a middle-aged woman in black who sat at the head of the table, and of having perfunctorily answered sundry questions about business in Dearborn County, put by a man who sat next to him.

inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in

From this reading They were well on their way to the office before Tom’s silent mood wore away.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading The young men dressed next morning in almost complete silence.