used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
at or in the front
From this reading Men moved in haste, throwing long shadows ahead and behind them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
beamsnounUS /biːmz/
plural of “beam” — a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
beesnounUS /biːz/
plural of “bee” — any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading On the huge roofed-in wharf freight-handlers swarmed like bees.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Men moved in haste, throwing long shadows ahead and behind them.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
dronenounUS /droʊn/
stingless male bee in a colony of social bees (especially honeybees) whose sole function is to mate with the queen
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
echoedverbUS /ˈekoʊd/
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
flutteredverbUS /ˈflʌtərd/
past form of “flutter” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading Lamps fluttered on vibrating walls.
freight-handlers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the huge roofed-in wharf freight-handlers swarmed like bees.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading Men moved in haste, throwing long shadows ahead and behind them.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading On the huge roofed-in wharf freight-handlers swarmed like bees.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
LampsnounUS /læmps/
plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading Lamps fluttered on vibrating walls.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading On the huge roofed-in wharf freight-handlers swarmed like bees.
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 Men moved in haste, throwing long shadows ahead and behind them.
the force of workers available
From this reading Men moved in haste, throwing long shadows ahead and behind them.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Men moved in haste, throwing long shadows ahead and behind them.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
night-enshrouded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the huge roofed-in wharf freight-handlers swarmed like bees.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
roofed-in
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the huge roofed-in wharf freight-handlers swarmed like bees.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
rumbleverbUS /ˈrʌmbəl/
make a low noise
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading Men moved in haste, throwing long shadows ahead and behind them.
move stealthily
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
speckledadjectiveUS /ˈspekəld/
having a pattern of dots
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
make steady
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
swarmedverbUS /swɔːrmd/
past form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz
From this reading On the huge roofed-in wharf freight-handlers swarmed like bees.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Men moved in haste, throwing long shadows ahead and behind them.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading Men moved in haste, throwing long shadows ahead and behind them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
trampnounUS /træmp/
a vagrant
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
trucksnounUS /trʌks/
plural of “truck” — an automotive vehicle suitable for hauling
From this reading The rumble of hand trucks and the tramp of feet rose to the great beams overhead and echoed back in a steady drone.
vibratingverbUS /ˈvaɪbreɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “vibrate” — shake, quiver, or throb; move back and forth rapidly, usually in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading Lamps fluttered on vibrating walls.
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 Lamps fluttered on vibrating walls.
water-front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
wharfnounUS /wɔːrf/
a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
From this reading On the huge roofed-in wharf freight-handlers swarmed like bees.
at the time that
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
in or at the place that
From this reading Lights by the thousand speckled the night-enshrouded water-front when I reached the slip where my boat lay.
