1887
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Important as the telegraph department was in making the newspaper, the desk was a crude piece of carpentry.
appreciatedadjectiveUS /əˈpriːʃieɪtɪd/
fully understood or grasped
From this reading Though my rank was the humblest, I appreciated the importance of a first step from “the street.”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Important as the telegraph department was in making the newspaper, the desk was a crude piece of carpentry.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading My companions of the blue pencil irreverently termed it “the shelf.”
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
carpentrynounUS /ˈkɑːrpəntri/
the craft of a carpenter: making things out of wood
From this reading Important as the telegraph department was in making the newspaper, the desk was a crude piece of carpentry.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading My companions of the blue pencil irreverently termed it “the shelf.”
crispadjectiveUS /krɪsp/
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
crudeadjectiveUS /kruːd/
not carefully or expertly made
From this reading Important as the telegraph department was in making the newspaper, the desk was a crude piece of carpentry.
departmentnounUS /dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/
a specialized division of a large organization
From this reading Important as the telegraph department was in making the newspaper, the desk was a crude piece of carpentry.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect
From this reading This was my second night in the novel dignity of editorship.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
editorshipnounUS /ˈedətərʃɪp/
the position of editor
From this reading This was my second night in the novel dignity of editorship.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Though my rank was the humblest, I appreciated the importance of a first step from “the street.”
flightsnounUS /flaɪts/
plural of “flight” — a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
following the third position; number four in a countable series
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Though my rank was the humblest, I appreciated the importance of a first step from “the street.”
humblestadjectiveUS /ˈhʌmbələst/
superlative of “humble” — low or inferior in station or quality
From this reading Though my rank was the humblest, I appreciated the importance of a first step from “the street.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading Though my rank was the humblest, I appreciated the importance of a first step from “the street.”
of great significance or value
From this reading Important as the telegraph department was in making the newspaper, the desk was a crude piece of carpentry.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
irreverentlyadverb
without respect
From this reading My companions of the blue pencil irreverently termed it “the shelf.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading My companions of the blue pencil irreverently termed it “the shelf.”
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Important as the telegraph department was in making the newspaper, the desk was a crude piece of carpentry.
march in a procession
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My companions of the blue pencil irreverently termed it “the shelf.”
information about recent and important events
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements
From this reading Important as the telegraph department was in making the newspaper, the desk was a crude piece of carpentry.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading This was my second night in the novel dignity of editorship.
novelnounUS /ˈnɑːvəl/
an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading This was my second night in the novel dignity of editorship.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
pencilnounUS /ˈpensəl/
a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood
From this reading My companions of the blue pencil irreverently termed it “the shelf.”
a separate part of a whole
From this reading Important as the telegraph department was in making the newspaper, the desk was a crude piece of carpentry.
exert pressure or force to or upon
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another
From this reading Though my rank was the humblest, I appreciated the importance of a first step from “the street.”
ricketyadjectiveUS /ˈrɪkəti/
inclined to shake as from weakness or defect
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading This was my second night in the novel dignity of editorship.
shelfnounUS /ʃelf/
A flat horizontal plane used to hold books or scrolls in a library.
From this reading My companions of the blue pencil irreverently termed it “the shelf.”
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Though my rank was the humblest, I appreciated the importance of a first step from “the street.”
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Though my rank was the humblest, I appreciated the importance of a first step from “the street.”
telegraphnounUS /ˈteləɡræf/
apparatus used to communicate at a distance over a wire (usually in Morse code)
From this reading Important as the telegraph department was in making the newspaper, the desk was a crude piece of carpentry.
termedverbUS /tɜːrmd/
past form of “term” — name formally or designate with a term
From this reading My companions of the blue pencil irreverently termed it “the shelf.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was my second night in the novel dignity of editorship.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Though my rank was the humblest, I appreciated the importance of a first step from “the street.”
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Important as the telegraph department was in making the newspaper, the desk was a crude piece of carpentry.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading One crisp evening early in March, 1887, I climbed the three flights of rickety stairs to the fourth floor of the old “Press” building to begin work on the “news desk.”
