used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
next to; at the side of
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading He held himself very straight, his slender body taut with solemn exultation.
brushverbUS /brʌʃ/
rub with a brush, or as if with a brush
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
Cleopatra'snounUS /ˌkliːəˈpætrəz/
possessive form of “cleopatra” — beautiful and charismatic queen of Egypt; mistress of Julius Caesar and later of Mark Antony; killed herself to avoid capture by Octavian (69-30 BC)
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
cliffsnounUS /klɪfs/
plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
take in solid food
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
EmbankmentnounUS /emˈbæŋkmənt/
a long artificial mound of stone or earth; built to hold back water or to support a road or as protection
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
exultationnoun
a feeling of extreme joy
From this reading He held himself very straight, his slender body taut with solemn exultation.
gapingadjectiveUS /ˈɡeɪpɪŋ/
with the mouth wide open as in wonder or awe
From this reading It hurts--this gaping like an outsider.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
guardedadjectiveUS /ˈɡɑːrdəd/
prudent
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
haltverbUS /hɔːlt/
cause to stop
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading He held himself very straight, his slender body taut with solemn exultation.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He held himself very straight, his slender body taut with solemn exultation.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
hugverbUS /hʌɡ/
hold (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
hurtsnounUS /hɜːrts/
plural of “hurt” — any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
From this reading It hurts--this gaping like an outsider.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
not in action or at work
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It hurts--this gaping like an outsider.
large gregarious predatory feline of Africa and India having a tawny coat with a shaggy mane in the male
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
the force of workers available
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
become covered with mist
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
needlenounUS /ˈniːdəl/
the leaf of a conifer
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
and nothing more
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
outsidernounUS /ˌaʊtˈsaɪ.dər/
A person who does not belong to a particular group or community; a stranger.
From this reading It hurts--this gaping like an outsider.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading He held himself very straight, his slender body taut with solemn exultation.
smalleradjectiveUS /ˈsmɔːlər/
small or little relative to something else
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading He held himself very straight, his slender body taut with solemn exultation.
characterized by or preferring solitude
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading "If only one could do something with it," he said; "eat it--hug it--get inside of it somehow--belong to it.
starkadjectiveUS /stɑːrk/
devoid of any qualifications or disguise or adornment
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
successive (without a break)
From this reading He held himself very straight, his slender body taut with solemn exultation.
tautadjectiveUS /tɔːt/
pulled or drawn tight
From this reading He held himself very straight, his slender body taut with solemn exultation.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It hurts--this gaping like an outsider.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
precisely as stated
From this reading He held himself very straight, his slender body taut with solemn exultation.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
warehousesnounUS /ˈwerhaʊzɪz/
plural of “warehouse” — a storehouse for goods and merchandise
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
watchfuladjectiveUS /ˈwɑːtʃfəl/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I They came to an idle halt near Cleopatra's needle, and leaning against the Embankment wall, looked across the river to the warehouses opposite, which, in the evening mist, had the look of stark cliffs guarded by a solitary watchful lion.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He held himself very straight, his slender body taut with solemn exultation.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The smaller of the two young men took off his soft hat and set it beside him so that he could let the wind brush through his thick red hair.
