Chapter I · From Dying Lips

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

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

plural of “achievement” — the action of accomplishing something

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

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

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

(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 For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

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

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

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

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

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

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

a street in Manhattan noted for cheap hotels frequented by homeless derelicts

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

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

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

clothing in general

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

enjoying or affording comforting warmth and shelter especially in a small space

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

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

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

in deplorable condition

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

not to your liking

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

stubbornly unyielding

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

deliberately impassive in manner

From this reading His heavy and somewhat florid features were expressionless.

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

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading His heavy and somewhat florid features were expressionless.

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

elaborately or excessively ornamented

From this reading His heavy and somewhat florid features were expressionless.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

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

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

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

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading His heavy and somewhat florid features were expressionless.

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

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

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

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

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

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

where you live at a particular time

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

the largest city in Texas; located in southeastern Texas near the Gulf of Mexico; site of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

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

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

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

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

past form of “indicate” — be a signal for or a symptom of

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

make sense of; assign a meaning to

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

(Old Testament) Moses' successor who led the Israelites into the Promised Land; best remembered for his destruction of Jericho

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

not experiencing or inspiring joy

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

consisting of or related to language

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

vigorously passionate

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

engage in

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

kill intentionally and with premeditation

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

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

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

according to the clock

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

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

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

the rate of moving (especially walking or running)

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

a policeman who patrols a given region

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

by chance

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

the property of a continuous and connected period of time

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

visual imagery

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

a spotted or calico horse or pony

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

the act of playing a musical instrument

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

experiencing or manifesting pleasure

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

on the contrary

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

(used especially of commodities) being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

to a small degree or extent

From this reading His heavy and somewhat florid features were expressionless.

short and thick; as e.g. having short legs and heavy musculature

From this reading Perhaps it was nothing but instinct that caused him to slow down his pace as he passed a squatty and rather dilapidated building in the middle of the block.

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

taking in or moving over (or as if over) a wide area; often used in combination

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

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

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

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

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

hard to endure

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

moved around an axis or center

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

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

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

close enough to be walked to

From this reading Patrolman Joshua Pinto, walking his beat at two o'clock in the morning, hummed a joyless tune as he turned off the Bowery and swung into East Houston Street.

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

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

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

From this reading His heavy and somewhat florid features were expressionless.

covered or soaked with a liquid such as water

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

belonging to which person

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

a specific feeling of desire

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was a wet night, with a raw wind sweeping around the street corners, and Pinto walked along with an air of dogged persistence, as if trying to make the best of a disagreeable duty.

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading For all that his face indicated, he might have been thinking that it was a fine night for a murder, or wishing that he was in plain clothes instead of uniform, or picturing himself in his cozy home playing with his baby, whose lusty "da-da's" and "goo-goo's" he was pleased to interpret as wonderful linguistic achievements.