used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading One bitter February day he took refuge in the railroad station.
a youthful male person
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
a state at a particular time
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
contrivedadjectiveUS /kənˈtraɪvd/
showing effects of planning or manipulation
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
counternounUS /ˈkaʊntər/
table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading One bitter February day he took refuge in the railroad station.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
exhaustionnounUS /ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən/
extreme fatigue
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
exposurenounUS /ɪkˈspoʊʒər/
vulnerability to the elements; to the action of heat or cold or wind or rain
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
FebruarynounUS /ˈfebjəweri/
the month following January and preceding March
From this reading One bitter February day he took refuge in the railroad station.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
not accessible to view
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One bitter February day he took refuge in the railroad station.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
irregularadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈreɡjələr/
contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
a narrow way or road
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
Lane'snounUS /leɪnz/
possessive form of “lane” — a narrow way or road
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
take somebody somewhere
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
negronounUS /ˈniːɡroʊ/
a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
information about recent and important events
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
obscureverbUS /əbsˈkjʊr/
make less visible or unclear
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One bitter February day he took refuge in the railroad station.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
pillarnounUS /ˈpɪlər/
a fundamental principle or practice
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
porternounUS /ˈpɔːrtər/
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
projectingadjectiveUS /prəˈdʒektɪŋ/
extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
railroadnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading One bitter February day he took refuge in the railroad station.
on the contrary
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
a safe place
From this reading One bitter February day he took refuge in the railroad station.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
Rose'snounUS /ˈroʊzɪz/
possessive form of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading One bitter February day he took refuge in the railroad station.
subjectedverbUS /səbˈdʒektɪd/
past form of “subject” — cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
supportingadjectiveUS /səˈpɔːrtɪŋ/
furnishing support and encouragement
From this reading It was an obscure corner, rather hidden by a supporting pillar and the projecting end of a news counter.
sweetheartnounUS /ˈswiːthɑːrt/
a person loved by another person
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Lane took Rose's death to heart as if she had been his sister or sweetheart.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The exhaustion and exposure he was subjected to during these days dragged him farther down.
which person or people
From this reading The old negro porter who had known Lane since he was a boy evidently read the truth of Lane's condition, for he contrived to lead him back into a corner of the irregular room.
