used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
in the past
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
air-tightadjective
having no weak points
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
blendedadjectiveUS /ˈblendɪd/
combined or mixed together so that the constituent parts are indistinguishable
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
coatsnounUS /koʊts/
plural of “coat” — an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
congregatedverbUS /ˈkɑːŋɡrɪɡeɪtɪd/
past form of “congregate” — come together, usually for a purpose
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
consumedverbUS /kənˈsuːmd/
past form of “consume” — eat up completely, as with great appetite
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
gotten under control
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
discomforts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
EmporiumnounUS /ˌemˈpɔːriəm/
a large retail store organized into departments offering a variety of merchandise; commonly part of a retail chain
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The windows reeked with moisture; the floor was gritty with sand.
fognounUS /fɑːɡ/
droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
grandiloquentlyadverb
in a rhetorically grandiloquent manner
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
grittyadjectiveUS /ˈɡrɪti/
composed of or covered with particles resembling meal in texture or consistency
From this reading The windows reeked with moisture; the floor was gritty with sand.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
interioradjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɪriər/
situated within or suitable for inside a building
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
knotnounUS /nɑːt/
a tight cluster of people or things
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
mailnounUS /meɪl/
the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
the force of workers available
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
mixturenounUS /ˈmɪkstʃər/
(chemistry) a substance consisting of two or more substances mixed together (not in fixed proportions and not with chemical bonding)
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
moisturenounUS /ˈmɔɪstʃər/
wetness caused by water
From this reading The windows reeked with moisture; the floor was gritty with sand.
murkyadjectiveUS /ˈmɜːrki/
(of liquids) clouded as with sediment
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
noontime
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
odorsnounUS /ˈoʊdərz/
plural of “odor” — any property detected by the olfactory system
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
oilskins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
oxygennounUS /ˈɑːksədʒən/
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
reeked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The windows reeked with moisture; the floor was gritty with sand.
remnantsnounUS /ˈremnənts/
plural of “remnant” — a small part or portion that remains after the main part no longer exists
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
rubbernounUS /ˈrʌbər/
an elastic material obtained from the latex sap of trees (especially trees of the genera Hevea and Ficus) that can be vulcanized and finished into a variety of products
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading The windows reeked with moisture; the floor was gritty with sand.
shineverbUS /ʃaɪn/
be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
steamingadjectiveUS /ˈstiːmɪŋ/
filled with steam or emitting moisture in the form of vapor or mist
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
not in physical motion
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
stovenounUS /stoʊv/
a kitchen appliance used for cooking food
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
stuffyadjectiveUS /ˈstʌfi/
lacking fresh air
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
styledverbUS /staɪld/
past form of “style” — designate by an identifying term
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Long ago the air-tight stove had consumed such remnants of oxygen as the room contained.
tarnounUS /tɑːr/
any of various dark heavy viscid substances obtained as a residue
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
in or at that place or location
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
throngedadjectiveUS /θrɔːŋd/
filled with great numbers crowded together
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
tobacconounUS /təˈbækoʊ/
leaves of the tobacco plant dried and prepared for smoking or ingestion
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
which person or people
From this reading These discomforts, however, failed to be of consequence to the knot of men who, rain or shine, congregated there at mail time.
WiltonnounUS /ˈwɪltən/
a carpet woven on a Jacquard loom with loops like a Brussels carpet but having the loops cut to form a close velvety pile
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading The windows reeked with moisture; the floor was gritty with sand.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The village store, grandiloquently styled by a red sign the Wilton Emporium, was thronged with the usual noontime crowd.
woolensnounUS /ˈwʊlənz/
plural of “woolen” — a fabric made from the hair of sheep
From this reading It was a still, grey day, murky with fog and the odors of wet oilskins, steaming rubber coats, damp woolens blended with a mixture of tar, coffee and tobacco smoke, made its interior thick and stuffy.
