Chapter XXV · The End of the House

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

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

having companions or an escort

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

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

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

experiencing a sudden sense of danger

From this reading Even Mr. Sanders appeared to be as alarmed as his younger companions.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

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

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

from appearances alone

From this reading There had been a sudden flash of light that apparently had filled the building.

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Even Mr. Sanders appeared to be as alarmed as his younger companions.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Even Mr. Sanders appeared to be as alarmed as his younger companions.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Even Mr. Sanders appeared to be as alarmed as his younger companions.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading There had been a sudden flash of light that apparently had filled the building.

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading There had been a sudden flash of light that apparently had filled the building.

the act of burning something

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading Even Mr. Sanders appeared to be as alarmed as his younger companions.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

divisible by two

From this reading Even Mr. Sanders appeared to be as alarmed as his younger companions.

plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading The light apparently had been flashed in every room at the same moment.

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading There had been a sudden flash of light that apparently had filled the building.

gleam or glow intermittently

From this reading There had been a sudden flash of light that apparently had filled the building.

past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently

From this reading The light apparently had been flashed in every room at the same moment.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

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

From this reading There had been a sudden flash of light that apparently had filled the building.

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

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

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

From this reading Even Mr. Sanders appeared to be as alarmed as his younger companions.

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

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

indicating the most important performer or role

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading There had been a sudden flash of light that apparently had filled the building.

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

a particular point in time

From this reading The light apparently had been flashed in every room at the same moment.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

a form of address for a man

From this reading Even Mr. Sanders appeared to be as alarmed as his younger companions.

absolutely essential

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

not any; not one

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

any property detected by the olfactory system

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles; a solid that has been pulverized

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

with speed

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading The light apparently had been flashed in every room at the same moment.

(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

Identical; not different.

From this reading The light apparently had been flashed in every room at the same moment.

plural of “sander” — a power tool used for sanding wood; an endless loop of sandpaper is moved at high speed by an electric motor

From this reading Even Mr. Sanders appeared to be as alarmed as his younger companions.

an instance of visual perception

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading There had been a sudden flash of light that apparently had filled the building.

causing difficulty in breathing especially through lack of fresh air and presence of heat

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

in a swift manner

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading There had been a sudden flash of light that apparently had filled the building.

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

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There had been a sudden flash of light that apparently had filled the building.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

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

From this reading Even Mr. Sanders appeared to be as alarmed as his younger companions.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

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

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading At all events he was swiftly leading the way, and as the boys were running down the stairway two or three steps at a time it was necessary for him to move rapidly in order to keep his place at the head of the line.

in the company of; together with

From this reading No sound had accompanied the strange sight although the air was heavy with the suffocating odor of burning powder.

used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father

From this reading Even Mr. Sanders appeared to be as alarmed as his younger companions.