used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading But Ned was paying not much attention to these details.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
blotty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
bookkeepingnounUS /ˈbʊkkiːpɪŋ/
the activity of recording business transactions
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
a youthful male person
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Ned was paying not much attention to these details.
cagedverbUS /keɪdʒd/
past form of “cage” — confine in a cage
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
cigarnounUS /sɪˈɡɑːr/
a roll of tobacco for smoking
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
a state at a particular time
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
true confidential information
From this reading But Ned was paying not much attention to these details.
dirtyadjectiveUS /ˈdɜːrti/
soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
DreadnoughtnounUS /ˈdrednɔːt/
battleship that has big guns all of the same caliber
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
equippedadjectiveUS /ɪˈkwɪpt/
provided or fitted out with what is necessary or useful or appropriate
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
opinion or judgment
From this reading His eyes rapidly swept the room.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
flabby-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
set up or found
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
a person of German nationality
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His eyes rapidly swept the room.
horriblyadverbUS /ˈhɔːrəbli/
of a dreadful kind
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
litteredadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtərd/
filled or scattered with a disorderly accumulation of objects or rubbish
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
lobbynounUS /ˈlɑːbi/
a large entrance or reception room or area
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
loungingverbUS /ˈlaʊndʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “lounge” — sit or recline comfortably
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
moustaches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading But Ned was paying not much attention to these details.
Ned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But Ned was paying not much attention to these details.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
offensiveadjectiveUS /əˈfensɪv/
violating or tending to violate or offend against
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
yielding a fair profit
From this reading But Ned was paying not much attention to these details.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
with speed
From this reading His eyes rapidly swept the room.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
ricketty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading His eyes rapidly swept the room.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
smartadjectiveUS /smɑːrt/
showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
smellingnounUS /ˈsmelɪŋ/
the act of perceiving the odor of something
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
staleadjectiveUS /steɪl/
lacking freshness, palatability, or showing deterioration from age
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
stumpsnounUS /stʌmps/
plural of “stump” — the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
possessing sweep
From this reading His eyes rapidly swept the room.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading But Ned was paying not much attention to these details.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
tobacconounUS /təˈbækoʊ/
leaves of the tobacco plant dried and prepared for smoking or ingestion
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
unceremoniouslyadverbUS /ˌʌnserəˈmoʊniəsli/
in an unceremonious manner
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
precisely as stated
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Within the doors he had so unceremoniously pushed open, Ned found a kind of shabby office and lounging lobby, equipped with ricketty furniture and smelling horribly of stale tobacco.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading Behind a desk, caged off from the rest of the place, a fat, flabby-looking German with a pair of huge yellow moustaches was engaged on some sort of blotty bookkeeping.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The floor was littered with paper and cigar stumps and everything was dirty to a degree, a condition very offensive to the smart young Dreadnought Boy.
