Chapter XV · The Calm Before

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

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

Difficulties; misfortune and hardship faced with courage.

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

later than; following

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

in addition

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

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

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

bound by contract

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

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

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Thus far had his existence, emerging from profoundest gloom, run a straight and uneventful course--but before?

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

plural of “burrow” — a hole made by an animal, usually for shelter

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Thus far had his existence, emerging from profoundest gloom, run a straight and uneventful course--but before?

showing who or what does the action

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

a foundation created to promote the public good (not for assistance to any particular individuals)

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

a young person of either sex

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

possessive form of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

plural of “confidence” — freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

past form of “consign” — commit forever; commit irrevocably

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

a place off to the side of an area

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

superlative of “cruel” — (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

absence of light or illumination

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

causing or capable of causing death

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

lacking in light; not bright or harsh

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

stubbornly unyielding

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

-ing form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

owed and payable immediately or on demand

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

come out into view, as from concealment

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

coming to maturity

From this reading Thus far had his existence, emerging from profoundest gloom, run a straight and uneventful course--but before?

past form of “enable” — render capable or able for some task

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

at any time

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

the state or fact of existing

From this reading Thus far had his existence, emerging from profoundest gloom, run a straight and uneventful course--but before?

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading Thus far had his existence, emerging from profoundest gloom, run a straight and uneventful course--but before?

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

a state of partial or total darkness

From this reading Thus far had his existence, emerging from profoundest gloom, run a straight and uneventful course--but before?

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

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

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

inflected form of “hem” — fold over and sew together to provide with a hem

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

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

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

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

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

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

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

light from a lamp

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

having or showing profound knowledge

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

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 Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

being nothing more than specified

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

concerned with principles of right and wrong or conforming to standards of behavior and character based on those principles

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

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

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

used to form the superlative

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

impressive in appearance

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

the time that has elapsed

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

the force of policemen and officers

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

someone whose occupation is printing

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

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

From this reading Thus far had his existence, emerging from profoundest gloom, run a straight and uneventful course--but before?

(used of persons and their behavior) cultivated and genteel

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading Thus far had his existence, emerging from profoundest gloom, run a straight and uneventful course--but before?

express in words

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

an educational institution

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

characterized by or preferring solitude

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

not in physical motion

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

behave violently, as if in state of a great anger

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

successive (without a break)

From this reading Thus far had his existence, emerging from profoundest gloom, run a straight and uneventful course--but before?

an exchange of ideas via conversation

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

the longest river in England; flows eastward through London to the North Sea

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

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

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

three times

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading Thus far had his existence, emerging from profoundest gloom, run a straight and uneventful course--but before?

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

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

as the end result of a succession or process

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

marked by no noteworthy or significant events

From this reading Thus far had his existence, emerging from profoundest gloom, run a straight and uneventful course--but before?

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

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

From this reading Long after the storm had broken and rolled away were we still sitting talking in the dim lamplight.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading He had been picked up, as a mere child drowning in the river, by the Thames police and had been ultimately consigned to a charity school, from which, in due course, he had been apprenticed to a printer.

which person or people

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?

but in spite of that

From this reading In these hours I learned what dark confidences my friend had to give me as to his solitary and haunted past; learned more truly, also, than I had ever done as yet, the value of a moral courage that had enabled him, dogged by the cruelest hate of adversity, to emerge from the furnace noble and thrice refined.

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

From this reading Into what deadly corner of a great city’s most secret burrows his young life had been first hemmed and then crushed out of shape who may say?