used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading HELLIER’S chambers in Clifford’s Inn were a part of the past.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading On windy nights one heard all sorts of quaint arguments in the chimney and behind the wainscoting.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
any thing at all
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
argumentsnounUS /ˈɑːrɡjəmənts/
plural of “argument” — a fact or assertion offered as evidence that something is true
From this reading On windy nights one heard all sorts of quaint arguments in the chimney and behind the wainscoting.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading On windy nights one heard all sorts of quaint arguments in the chimney and behind the wainscoting.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
ceilingnounUS /ˈsiːlɪŋ/
the overhead upper surface of a covered space
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
chambersnounUS /ˈtʃeɪmbərz/
English architect (1723-1796)
From this reading HELLIER’S chambers in Clifford’s Inn were a part of the past.
chimneynounUS /ˈtʃɪmni/
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading On windy nights one heard all sorts of quaint arguments in the chimney and behind the wainscoting.
chimneysnounUS /ˈtʃɪmniz/
plural of “chimney” — a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
Clifford's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELLIER’S chambers in Clifford’s Inn were a part of the past.
defunctadjectiveUS /dɪˈfʌŋkt/
no longer in force or use; inactive
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
something many people believe that is false
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
fire-light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
flickeringadjectiveUS /ˈflɪkərɪŋ/
shining unsteadily
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
floorsnounUS /flɔːrz/
plural of “floor” — the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
fogsnounUS /fɔːɡz/
plural of “fog” — droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
GenerationsnounUS /ˌdʒenərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “generation” — all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
groanedverbUS /ɡroʊnd/
past form of “groan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading On windy nights one heard all sorts of quaint arguments in the chimney and behind the wainscoting.
HELLIER'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELLIER’S chambers in Clifford’s Inn were a part of the past.
ten 10s
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
imaginativeadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmædʒənətɪv/
(used of persons or artifacts) marked by independence and creativity in thought or action
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HELLIER’S chambers in Clifford’s Inn were a part of the past.
a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers
From this reading HELLIER’S chambers in Clifford’s Inn were a part of the past.
jammedadjectiveUS /dʒæmd/
extremely crowed or filled to capacity
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
lawyersnounUS /ˈlɔːjərz/
plural of “lawyer” — a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading So was the staircase that led to them.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
provided with artificial light
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading On windy nights one heard all sorts of quaint arguments in the chimney and behind the wainscoting.
Novembers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HELLIER’S chambers in Clifford’s Inn were a part of the past.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading On windy nights one heard all sorts of quaint arguments in the chimney and behind the wainscoting.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading HELLIER’S chambers in Clifford’s Inn were a part of the past.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading HELLIER’S chambers in Clifford’s Inn were a part of the past.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
quaintadjectiveUS /kweɪnt/
strange in an interesting or pleasing way
From this reading On windy nights one heard all sorts of quaint arguments in the chimney and behind the wainscoting.
ratsnounUS /ræts/
plural of “rat” — any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
saggedverbUS /sæɡd/
inflected form of “sag” — droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
smokedadjectiveUS /smoʊkt/
(used especially of meats and fish) dried and cured by hanging in wood smoke
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So was the staircase that led to them.
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading On windy nights one heard all sorts of quaint arguments in the chimney and behind the wainscoting.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
staircasenounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading So was the staircase that led to them.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading So was the staircase that led to them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HELLIER’S chambers in Clifford’s Inn were a part of the past.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading So was the staircase that led to them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading So was the staircase that led to them.
tracesnounUS /ˈtreɪsəz/
plural of “trace” — a just detectable amount
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
wainscotingnoun
a wainscoted wall (or wainscoted walls collectively)
From this reading On windy nights one heard all sorts of quaint arguments in the chimney and behind the wainscoting.
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 Generations of lawyers and rats and the fogs of two hundred or so Novembers had left their traces on wall and ceiling, on floors that sagged, and stairs that groaned, and doors that jammed, and chimneys that smoked.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So was the staircase that led to them.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading HELLIER’S chambers in Clifford’s Inn were a part of the past.
willedverbUS /wɪld/
past form of “will” — decree or ordain
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
windyadjectiveUS /ˈwɪndi/
abounding in or exposed to the wind or breezes
From this reading On windy nights one heard all sorts of quaint arguments in the chimney and behind the wainscoting.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Steps of defunct lawyers sounded in the passage outside and sitting by the flickering fire-light before the lamp was lit you might, were you an imaginative man, have heard or seen pretty much anything your fancy willed.
