Chapter I · Chapter 1

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

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

from one side of something to the other

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

a long narrow passage (as in a cave or woods)

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

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

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

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

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

protective covering made of metal and used in combat

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

having a buff color

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

of or relating to Canada or its people

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

a period of 100 years

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

a series of things depending on each other as if linked together

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

goods carried by a large vehicle

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

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

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

in fancy clothing

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

an earnest and sincere feeling

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

a person who installs or repairs electrical or telephone lines

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

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

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

having an (over)abundance of flesh

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

capable of being changed

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

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

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

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

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

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

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent or magnitude

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

extremely

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

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

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

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 Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

engage in

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

popular aquarium fish

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

used to form the superlative

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

not one and not the other of two

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

not any; not one

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

marked by blithe unconcern

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

on one occasion

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

with ostentation; in an ostentatious manner

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

a light shade of red

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

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

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

accomplished rapidly and without delay

From this reading The Traveling Salesman was rather short and quick.

line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

on the contrary

From this reading The Traveling Salesman was rather short and quick.

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

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

furnished or strengthened with ribs

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

a man salesperson

From this reading The Traveling Salesman was rather short and quick.

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

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

reflecting light

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading The Traveling Salesman was rather short and quick.

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

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

arranged according to size

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

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

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

inflected form of “span” — to cover or extend over an area or time period

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

be agreeable or acceptable to

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

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

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

the upper part of anything

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

create by training and teaching

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

the act of going from one place to another

From this reading The Traveling Salesman was rather short and quick.

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

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

without possibility of mistake

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

characterized by variety

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

precisely as stated

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

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

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

which person or people

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading Surely no other man in the whole southward-bound Canadian train could have been at once so ingenuous and so nonchalant.

in the company of; together with

From this reading More than being short and quick, the Traveling Salesman was distinctly fat and unmistakably dressy in an ostentatiously new and pure-looking buff-colored suit, and across the top of the shiny black sample-case that spanned his knees he sorted and re-sorted with infinite earnestness a large and varied consignment of "Ladies' Pink and Blue Ribbed Undervests."

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading Author of _Molly Make Believe_, _The Sick-A-Bed Lady_, etc., etc. New York The Century Co. The Railroad Journey was very long and slow.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading And the Young Electrician who lolled across the car aisle was neither one length nor another, but most inordinately flexible, like a suit of chain armor.