used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Retreat became my sole object; and, drawing back, I pulled the door after me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But I had given Fortune a handle--very literally; for the handle of the door grated loud as I turned it.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Retreat became my sole object; and, drawing back, I pulled the door after me.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Retreat became my sole object; and, drawing back, I pulled the door after me.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But I had given Fortune a handle--very literally; for the handle of the door grated loud as I turned it.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading I Find that I Care.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading The impulse that had made the thing done was exhausted in the doing of it.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading The impulse that had made the thing done was exhausted in the doing of it.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading Retreat became my sole object; and, drawing back, I pulled the door after me.
accept an excuse for
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
From this reading The impulse that had made the thing done was exhausted in the doing of it.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading I Find that I Care.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading But I had given Fortune a handle--very literally; for the handle of the door grated loud as I turned it.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading But I had given Fortune a handle--very literally; for the handle of the door grated loud as I turned it.
gratedverbUS /ˈɡreɪtɪd/
past form of “grate” — furnish with a grate
From this reading But I had given Fortune a handle--very literally; for the handle of the door grated loud as I turned it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
handleverbUS /ˈhændəl/
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
From this reading But I had given Fortune a handle--very literally; for the handle of the door grated loud as I turned it.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I Find that I Care.
an instinctive motive
From this reading The impulse that had made the thing done was exhausted in the doing of it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The impulse that had made the thing done was exhausted in the doing of it.
intrusionnounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːʒən/
any entry into an area not previously occupied
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The impulse that had made the thing done was exhausted in the doing of it.
literallyadverbUS /ˈlɪtərəli/
in a literal sense
From this reading But I had given Fortune a handle--very literally; for the handle of the door grated loud as I turned it.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading But I had given Fortune a handle--very literally; for the handle of the door grated loud as I turned it.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The impulse that had made the thing done was exhausted in the doing of it.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Retreat became my sole object; and, drawing back, I pulled the door after me.
mindedadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪndəd/
(used in combination) mentally oriented toward something specified
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
not any; not one
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading Retreat became my sole object; and, drawing back, I pulled the door after me.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The impulse that had made the thing done was exhausted in the doing of it.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading Retreat became my sole object; and, drawing back, I pulled the door after me.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat
From this reading Retreat became my sole object; and, drawing back, I pulled the door after me.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
the underside of footwear or a golf club
From this reading Retreat became my sole object; and, drawing back, I pulled the door after me.
not in physical motion
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I Find that I Care.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
a special situation
From this reading The impulse that had made the thing done was exhausted in the doing of it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading But I had given Fortune a handle--very literally; for the handle of the door grated loud as I turned it.
precisely as stated
From this reading But I had given Fortune a handle--very literally; for the handle of the door grated loud as I turned it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The impulse that had made the thing done was exhausted in the doing of it.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
wishingnounUS /ˈwɪʃɪŋ/
a specific feeling of desire
From this reading For a moment I stood stock still, wishing to Heaven that I had not opened the door; for I could find now no excuse for my intrusion, and no reason why I should not have minded my own business.
