used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
arrangementnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒmənt/
the thing arranged or agreed to
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
see with attention
From this reading There were books in profusion, books in virginity, books tempting and delightful to behold.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
busilyadverbUS /ˈbɪzəli/
in a busy manner
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
a formal event performed on a special occasion
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
something that interests you because it is important or affects you
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
counternounUS /ˈkaʊntər/
table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
provide with a covering or cause to be covered
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
crispadjectiveUS /krɪsp/
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
accepted or habitual practice
From this reading Such is the force of custom.
greatly pleasing or entertaining
From this reading There were books in profusion, books in virginity, books tempting and delightful to behold.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading Such is the force of custom.
referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
set up or found
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
grocerynounUS /ˈɡroʊsəri/
a marketplace where groceries are sold
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
handledadjectiveUS /ˈhændəld/
having a usually specified type of handle
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
heapedverbUS /hiːpt/
past form of “heap” — bestow in large quantities
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
indicatedverbUS /ˈɪndəkeɪtəd/
past form of “indicate” — be a signal for or a symptom of
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Such is the force of custom.
knockingnounUS /ˈnɑːkɪŋ/
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
the force of workers available
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
Messrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
not one, and not any
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
coated with paint
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
Pattenden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
performedverbUS /pərˈfɔːrmd/
past form of “perform” — carry out or perform an action
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
piledverbUS /paɪld/
past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
profusionnounUS /prəˈfjuːʒən/
the property of being extremely abundant
From this reading There were books in profusion, books in virginity, books tempting and delightful to behold.
respectivelyadverbUS /rɪˈspektɪvli/
in the order given
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
shinyadjectiveUS /ˈʃaɪni/
reflecting light
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
plural of “son” — a male human offspring
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
stackingverbUS /ˈstækɪŋ/
-ing form of “stack” — load or cover with stacks
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such is the force of custom.
superfluousadjectiveUS /ˈsuːpərflwʌs/
serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
temptingadjectiveUS /ˈtemptɪŋ/
highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire
From this reading There were books in profusion, books in virginity, books tempting and delightful to behold.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were books in profusion, books in virginity, books tempting and delightful to behold.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
virginitynounUS /vərˈdʒɪnɪti/
the condition or quality of being a virgin
From this reading There were books in profusion, books in virginity, books tempting and delightful to behold.
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
WarehousenounUS /ˈwerhaʊs/
a storehouse for goods and merchandise
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The wealth of Messrs. Pattenden and Sons, which was considerable, was not indicated by the arrangement of their London branch.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Volume upon volume, crisp in cover and shiny of edge, they were piled on the table and heaped on the floor; and the young men handled them with as little concern as if they had been grocery.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading A flight of narrow stairs, none too clean, led to a pair of doors respectively painted "Warehouse" and "Private"; and having performed the superfluous ceremony of knocking at the former, Mary found herself in front of a rough counter, behind which two or three young men were busily engaged in stacking books.
