Chapter XXVI · A Talk with the Tramp

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

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading The faces and forms of the spectators seemed to be ghostly in the light against the dark background of the night.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The timbers were old and dry, and blazed almost like burning paper.

a quantity of money

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

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

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

again but in a new or different way

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

a person's social heritage: previous experience or training

From this reading The faces and forms of the spectators seemed to be ghostly in the light against the dark background of the night.

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

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

past form of “blaze” — shine brightly and intensively

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

shining intensely

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

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

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

the act of burning something

From this reading The timbers were old and dry, and blazed almost like burning paper.

past form of “cave” — hollow out as if making a cave or opening

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

cause to herd, drive, or crowd together

From this reading The crowd was helpless.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading The faces and forms of the spectators seemed to be ghostly in the light against the dark background of the night.

free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet

From this reading The timbers were old and dry, and blazed almost like burning paper.

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading The faces and forms of the spectators seemed to be ghostly in the light against the dark background of the night.

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

start firing a weapon

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading The faces and forms of the spectators seemed to be ghostly in the light against the dark background of the night.

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

resembling or characteristic of a phantom

From this reading The faces and forms of the spectators seemed to be ghostly in the light against the dark background of the night.

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

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

lacking in or deprived of strength or power

From this reading The crowd was helpless.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

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

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading The faces and forms of the spectators seemed to be ghostly in the light against the dark background of the night.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading The timbers were old and dry, and blazed almost like burning paper.

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

From this reading The faces and forms of the spectators seemed to be ghostly in the light against the dark background of the night.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

and nothing more

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading The timbers were old and dry, and blazed almost like burning paper.

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

past form of “secure” — get by special effort

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

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

From this reading The faces and forms of the spectators seemed to be ghostly in the light against the dark background of the night.

a plumbing fixture that sprays water over you

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

plural of “spark” — a momentary flash of light

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

plural of “spectator” — a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)

From this reading The faces and forms of the spectators seemed to be ghostly in the light against the dark background of the night.

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

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

plural of “timber” — the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material

From this reading The timbers were old and dry, and blazed almost like burning paper.

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

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading Following the fall of the walls of the old house, the fire blazed up anew and a fresh shower of sparks fell far from the blazing building.

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

From this reading The crowd was helpless.

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.

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

From this reading The timbers were old and dry, and blazed almost like burning paper.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The only water to be had was from the old well which now had caved in and the small amount which could be secured had been exhausted in the early part of the fire.