used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A FELLOW-SUFFERER.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
badly-lit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
BoroughnounUS /ˈbɜːroʊ/
one of the administrative divisions of a large city
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
doorstepnounUS /ˈdɔːrstep/
the sill of a door; a horizontal piece of wood or stone that forms the bottom of a doorway and offers support when passing through a doorway
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
DouglasnounUS /ˈdʌɡləs/
United States politician who proposed that individual territories be allowed to decide whether they would have slavery; he engaged in a famous series of debates with Abraham Lincoln (1813-1861)
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
divisible by two
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
FELLOW-SUFFERER
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A FELLOW-SUFFERER.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading He went forward.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
pavementnounUS /ˈpeɪvmənt/
the paved surface of a thoroughfare
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
policemannounUS /pəˈliːsmən/
a member of a police force
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
proneadjectiveUS /proʊn/
having a tendency (to); often used in combination
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
tending to return to an earlier state
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
cut with a saw
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
sightsnounUS /saɪts/
an optical instrument for aiding the eye in aiming, as on a firearm or surveying instrument
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
subsideverbUS /səbˈsaɪd/
wear off or die down
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
thoroughfaresnounUS /ˈθɜːroʊferz/
plural of “thoroughfare” — a public road from one place to another
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
(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, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He went forward.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She did not fall; she trembled on to her knees as it were, and then lay prone--near a doorstep.
at the time that
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading One night, a few minutes after nine, Douglas was returning home along one of the badly-lit little thoroughfares in the Borough, when he saw the figure of a woman slowly subside on to the pavement in front of him.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Well, he had grown familiar with the sights of London streets; but even if the woman were drunk, as he imagined, he would lift her up, until some policeman came along.
