Chapter VII · Chapter 7

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

in addition

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

plural of “brain” — that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

assets available for use in the production of further assets

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

made or become different in nature or form

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

a checkerboard used to play chess

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

of or relating or belonging to a city

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

a flow of electricity through a conductor

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

(often used in combination) having a specified direction

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

having or revealing keen insight and good judgment

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

constituting the full quantity or extent; complete

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

the organ of sight

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

opinion or judgment

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

involving financial matters

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

excessive or insincere praise

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

the state of being friends (or friendly)

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

a contest with rules to determine a winner

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

so exceedingly large or extensive as to suggest a giant or mammoth

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

highest in quality

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

plural of “headline” — the heading or caption of a newspaper article

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

plural of “hint” — an indirect suggestion

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

tending to increase knowledge or dissipate ignorance

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

commodities (goods or services) bought from a foreign country

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

the quality of being important and worthy of note

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

plural of “incident” — a single distinct event

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

the act of gaining acceptance or affection for yourself by persuasive and subtle blandishments

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

of an obscure nature

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

plural of “interest” — a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

connected by participation or association or use

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

having no bearing on or connection with the subject at issue

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

plural of “journal” — a daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

in a keen or penetrating way

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

apprehended with certainty

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

held up in the air

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

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 He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

plural of “malefactor” — someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

the act of making something (a product) from raw materials

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

the force of workers available

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

pose a threat to; present a danger to

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

being nothing more than specified

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

and nothing more

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

a particular point in time

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

plural of “move” — the act of deciding to do something

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

of or relating to or belonging to a nation or country

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

above and across; more than

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

one of several distinct subdivisions of a text intended to separate ideas; the beginning is usually marked by a new indented line

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

an article deposited as security

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

(of games) engaged in

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

mental or emotional as opposed to physical in nature

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

accomplished rapidly and without delay

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

-ing form of “relate” — make a logical or causal connection

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

from appearances alone

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

take hold of; grab

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

any broad thin expanse or surface

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

the quality of being significant

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

being or characteristic of a single thing or person

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

of or relating to or determined by sociology

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

without any others being included or involved

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

with speed

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

distribute or disperse widely

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Instead of relating merely the incidents of a labor strike in a manufacturing city--and that city a far-distant one--it became speedily a sociological question of almost national import.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

propel through the air

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

plural of “trust” — something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

not important

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

a state of agitation or turbulent change or development

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

up to a particular time

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

not clearly expressed or understood

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

plural of “waster” — someone who dissipates resources self-indulgently

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

which person or people

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

belonging to which person

From this reading He knew every move in the gigantic game which was being played solely for his attention, long before a pawn was lifted from its place, a single counter changed; he had known it, from the moment that the seemingly unimportant paragraph had met his eyes; and he also knew the men who sat in the game, whose hands passed over the great chessboard of current events, whose brains directed the moves.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

the basic unit of money in South Korea

From this reading Henry Blaine, seated in his office, read the scare-heads and smiled his slow, inscrutable, illuminating smile--the smile which, without menace or rancor, had struck terror to the hearts of the greatest malefactors of his generation--which, without flattery or ingratiation, had won for him the friendship of the greatest men in the country.

plural of “worker” — a person who works at a specific occupation

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading THE FIRST COUNTER-MOVE The little paragraph in the newspaper, which, irrelevant as it would seem, had caught the keenly discerning eye of Henry Blaine, grew in length and importance from day to day until it reached a position on the first page, and then spread in huge headlines over the entire sheet.

of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk

From this reading The yellow journals were quick to seize upon it at the psychological moment of civic unrest, and throw out hints, vague but vast in their significance, of the mighty interests behind the mere fact of the strike, the great financial question involved, the crisis between capital and labor, the trusts and the common people, the workers and the wasters, in the land of the free.