used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The two friends sat for a long time discussing their situation.
having fair knowledge of
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
any person at all
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading ’MY BROTHER!’
BurroughsnounUS /ˈbʌroʊz/
United States writer noted for his works portraying the life of drug addicts (1914-1997)
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
Chinamannoun
(ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Chinese descent
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
contrivedadjectiveUS /kənˈtraɪvd/
showing effects of planning or manipulation
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
discussingverbUS /dɪˈskʌsɪŋ/
-ing form of “discuss” — to consider or examine in speech or writing
From this reading The two friends sat for a long time discussing their situation.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
eludeverbUS /ɪˈluːd/
escape, either physically or mentally
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading The problem of escape was a thorny one.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
divisible by two
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The two friends sat for a long time discussing their situation.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading The two friends sat for a long time discussing their situation.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
labyrinthnounUS /ˈlæbərɪnθ/
complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
landing-stage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The two friends sat for a long time discussing their situation.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading ’MY BROTHER!’
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The problem of escape was a thorny one.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The problem of escape was a thorny one.
and nothing more
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading The problem of escape was a thorny one.
puzzleverbUS /ˈpʌzəl/
be a mystery or bewildering to
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
with safety; in a safe manner
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The two friends sat for a long time discussing their situation.
sentinelsnounUS /ˈsentənəlz/
plural of “sentinel” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading The two friends sat for a long time discussing their situation.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The two friends sat for a long time discussing their situation.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The two friends sat for a long time discussing their situation.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
thornyadjectiveUS /ˈθɔːrni/
bristling with perplexities
From this reading The problem of escape was a thorny one.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The two friends sat for a long time discussing their situation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The two friends sat for a long time discussing their situation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The problem of escape was a thorny one.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Even if they contrived to elude the sentinels they might easily lose their way, especially in darkness--and they had already come to the conclusion that only by night could they hope to reach the river safely.
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
yamen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The yamen was at some distance from the landing-stage, and the labyrinth of narrow ways by which Burroughs had come to it would puzzle anybody but a Chinaman acquainted with the town.
