Chapter XII · The Pointed Boots

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

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

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

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

a room used primarily for sleeping

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It is true his business had been to repair, and not to destroy.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

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

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading It is true his business had been to repair, and not to destroy.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Strip by strip he cut the leather, which he then placed on the fire.

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading Strip by strip he cut the leather, which he then placed on the fire.

the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of

From this reading It is true his business had been to repair, and not to destroy.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

violent or severe weather (viewed as caused by the action of the four elements)

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

having ones attention or mind or energy engaged

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

found in the ordinary course of events

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

undergo or live through a difficult experience

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

personal knowledge or information about someone or something

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

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

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

start firing a weapon

From this reading Strip by strip he cut the leather, which he then placed on the fire.

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

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

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

manual (or mechanical) carrying or moving or delivering or working with something

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

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

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

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

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

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

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

one of several resident of a dwelling (especially someone confined to a prison or hospital)

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

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

From this reading It is true his business had been to repair, and not to destroy.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is true his business had been to repair, and not to destroy.

edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

an animal skin made smooth and flexible by removing the hair and then tanning

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

a loose and crumbling earthy deposit consisting mainly of calcite or dolomite; used as a fertilizer for soils deficient in lime

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It is true his business had been to repair, and not to destroy.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Strip by strip he cut the leather, which he then placed on the fire.

and nothing more

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

obtain a patent for

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading Strip by strip he cut the leather, which he then placed on the fire.

having a point

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

very clearly delineated

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

the act of putting something in working order again

From this reading It is true his business had been to repair, and not to destroy.

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

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

a particular situation

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

do one's shopping

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

plural of “shred” — a tiny or scarcely detectable amount

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

take away possessions from someone

From this reading Strip by strip he cut the leather, which he then placed on the fire.

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

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

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Strip by strip he cut the leather, which he then placed on the fire.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

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

From this reading It is true his business had been to repair, and not to destroy.

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

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

a city on the Garonne River in southern France to the southeast of Bordeaux; a cultural center of medieval Europe

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading It is true his business had been to repair, and not to destroy.

being five more than twenty

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

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

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

at the time that

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

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

From this reading Mr. Felix Marl sat behind the locked door of his bedroom, and he was engaged in a task which had the elements of unpleasant familiarity.

in the company of; together with

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading To-day, with a razor-sharp knife, he was cutting to shreds a pair of pointed patent leather shoes which he had only worn three times.

a late time of life

From this reading Twenty-five years before, when he was an inmate of the big French prison at Toulouse, he had worked in a bootmaker’s shop, and the handling of boots was an everyday experience.