Chapter XXII · Chapter 22

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

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading Even in dishabille Reedy had an air of ready money.

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

From this reading Even in dishabille Reedy had an air of ready money.

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

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

the month following July and preceding September

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

reduce to bankruptcy

From this reading Nobody but himself, unless it was the dour Tom Barton, knew how overwhelmingly he was bankrupt.

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

From this reading Nobody but himself, unless it was the dour Tom Barton, knew how overwhelmingly he was bankrupt.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

in a close relation or position in time or space

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

forced to turn and face attackers

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

plural of “creditor” — a person to whom money is owed by a debtor; someone to whom an obligation exists

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

the state of being carelessly or partially dressed

From this reading Even in dishabille Reedy had an air of ready money.

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

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

stubbornly unyielding

From this reading Nobody but himself, unless it was the dour Tom Barton, knew how overwhelmingly he was bankrupt.

divisible by two

From this reading Even in dishabille Reedy had an air of ready money.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

very recently

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

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

From this reading Even in dishabille Reedy had an air of ready money.

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

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Nobody but himself, unless it was the dour Tom Barton, knew how overwhelmingly he was bankrupt.

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

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

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

From this reading Nobody but himself, unless it was the dour Tom Barton, knew how overwhelmingly he was bankrupt.

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

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

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

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

past form of “kick” — drive or propel with the foot

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

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 Nobody but himself, unless it was the dour Tom Barton, knew how overwhelmingly he was bankrupt.

immediately past

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

past form of “massage” — manually manipulate (someone's body), usually for medicinal or relaxation purposes

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading Even in dishabille Reedy had an air of ready money.

the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

no person; not anyone

From this reading Nobody but himself, unless it was the dour Tom Barton, knew how overwhelmingly he was bankrupt.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

incapable of being resisted

From this reading Nobody but himself, unless it was the dour Tom Barton, knew how overwhelmingly he was bankrupt.

a light shade of red

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading Even in dishabille Reedy had an air of ready money.

having a tone of a reed instrument

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

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

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

having the beard or hair cut off close to the skin

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

a garment worn on the upper half of the body

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

a particular situation

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

plural of “sock” — hosiery consisting of a cloth covering for the foot; worn inside the shoe; reaches to between the ankle and the knee

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

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

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

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

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

male cat

From this reading Nobody but himself, unless it was the dour Tom Barton, knew how overwhelmingly he was bankrupt.

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

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

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

except if; if not

From this reading Nobody but himself, unless it was the dour Tom Barton, knew how overwhelmingly he was bankrupt.

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

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

at the time that

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading Reedy Jenkins, the first night of August, sat in his office, the windows open, the door open, the neck of his soft shirt open, and his low shoes kicked off.

inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in

From this reading But his plump, pink face was freshly shaven and massaged and he wore two-dollar silk socks.

to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.

to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)

From this reading There had been dark days last fall when he had been so closely cornered by his creditors that it took many a writhe and a wriggle to get through.