used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
anew
From this reading Beyond that again was the door opening into the principal's particular sanctum.
(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 For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
ante-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
articledadjective
bound by contract
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
Bechcombe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond that again was the door opening into the principal's particular sanctum.
celeritynounUS /səˈlerəti/
a rate that is rapid
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
clerksnounUS /klɜːrks/
plural of “clerk” — an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
commendableadjectiveUS /kəˈmendəbəl/
worthy of high praise
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
moving swiftly
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
gangwaynoun
a temporary passageway of planks (as over mud on a building site)
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
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 The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
managingverbUS /ˈmænədʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
Messrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
officesnounUS /ˈɔːfəsəz/
plural of “office” — place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Beyond that again was the door opening into the principal's particular sanctum.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading Beyond that again was the door opening into the principal's particular sanctum.
partitionnounUS /pɑːrˈtɪʃən/
a vertical structure that divides or separates (as a wall divides one room from another)
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
pensnounUS /penz/
plural of “pen” — a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
principal'snounUS /ˈprɪnsəpəlz/
possessive form of “principal” — the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated
From this reading Beyond that again was the door opening into the principal's particular sanctum.
precisely, exactly
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
sanctumnounUS /ˈsæŋktəm/
a place of inviolable privacy
From this reading Beyond that again was the door opening into the principal's particular sanctum.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
small or little relative to something else
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
having a supporting base
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Beyond that again was the door opening into the principal's particular sanctum.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Through it their heads could be seen bent over their work, their pens flying over their paper with commendable celerity.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
Turner'snounUS /ˈtɜːrnərz/
possessive form of “turner” — United States slave and insurrectionist who in 1831 led a rebellion of slaves in Virginia; he was captured and executed (1800-1831)
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The managing clerk had left his desk and was standing in the gangway in the larger office opposite the door leading into the ante-room.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The articled clerks were in a smaller office to the right of the large one with a partition partly glass between.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading For a wonder the clerks in Messrs. Bechcombe and Turner's offices were all hard at work.
