used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
armlets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
ashesnounUS /ˈæʃ.ɪz/
The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the table, covered with documents, were two people, the man and the woman.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
cigarettenounUS /ˌsɪɡərˈet/
finely ground tobacco wrapped in paper; for smoking
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
COMMISSARYnounUS /ˈkɑːməseri/
a retail store that sells equipment and provisions (usually to military personnel)
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading At the table, covered with documents, were two people, the man and the woman.
CROOKEDadjectiveUS /ˈkrʊkəd/
having or marked by bends or angles; not straight or aligned
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
dingyadjectiveUS /ˈdɪndʒi/
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
documentsnounUS /ˈdɑːkjəmənts/
plural of “document” — writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading At the table, covered with documents, were two people, the man and the woman.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
greasyadjectiveUS /ˈɡriːsi/
containing an unusual amount of grease or oil
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
heapsnounUS /hiːps/
a large number or amount
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
indolentlyadverb
in an indolent manner
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
invitationsnounUS /ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃənz/
plural of “invitation” — a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
JewessnounUS /ˈdʒuːəs/
a woman who is a Jew
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
leaptverbUS /lept/
inflected form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading At the table, covered with documents, were two people, the man and the woman.
the force of workers available
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
of or relating to the study of the principles of warfare
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
obviouslyadverbUS /ˈɑːbviəsli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
overcoatsnounUS /ˈoʊvərkoʊts/
plural of “overcoat” — a heavy coat worn over clothes in winter
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
panelled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading At the table, covered with documents, were two people, the man and the woman.
portfolionounUS /pɔːrtˈfoʊlioʊ/
a large, flat, thin case for carrying loose papers or drawings or maps; usually leather
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
recurring again and again
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
ringlets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
snappingverbUS /ˈsnæpɪŋ/
inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
sprawlingnounUS /ˈsprɔːlɪŋ/
an ungainly posture with arms and legs spread about
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
stainedadjectiveUS /steɪnd/
marked or dyed or discolored with foreign matter
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
streakedadjectiveUS /striːkt/
marked with or as if with stripes or linear discolorations
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading At the table, covered with documents, were two people, the man and the woman.
terriernounUS /ˈteriər/
any of several usually small short-bodied breeds originally trained to hunt animals living underground
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
in or at that place or location
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
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 The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading At the table, covered with documents, were two people, the man and the woman.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
untidyadjectiveUS /ənˈtaɪdi/
not neat and tidy
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She, sprawling indolently forward, her head upon her arm, her strong brown face turned to the man, was obviously a Jewess.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
in or at the place that
From this reading The papers were streaked and greasy where her thick black ringlets had rested, and the ashes of her cigarette lay in little untidy heaps on the table.
a Caucasian
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
which person or people
From this reading One, evidently an officer, who carried a black portfolio under his arm, was leaning against the panelled wall, smoking and snapping his fingers to a dingy white terrier that leapt to his repeated invitations.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE COMMISSARY WITH THE CROOKED NOSE There were a dozen men in the room in stained military overcoats and red armlets.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading At the table, covered with documents, were two people, the man and the woman.
