used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of a cab could be seen.
inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard
From this reading Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of a cab could be seen.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
cabnounUS /kæb/
a compartment at the front of a motor vehicle or locomotive where driver sits
From this reading Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of a cab could be seen.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of a cab could be seen.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of a cab could be seen.
remove the dust from
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "We shan't get one to-night," Venner said.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
Gurdon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
not any; not one
From this reading Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of a cab could be seen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "We shan't get one to-night," Venner said.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
overcoatnounUS /ˈoʊvərkoʊt/
a heavy coat worn over clothes in winter
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
pavementnounUS /ˈpeɪvmənt/
the paved surface of a thoroughfare
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
pavementsnounUS /ˈpeɪvmənts/
plural of “pavement” — the paved surface of a thoroughfare
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
plashverb
interlace the shoots of
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
porternounUS /ˈpɔːrtər/
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of a cab could be seen.
porticonounUS /ˈpɔːrtəkoʊ/
a porch or entrance to a building consisting of a covered and often columned area
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
raindropsnounUS /ˈreɪndrɑːps/
plural of “raindrop” — a drop of rain
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
rattledadjectiveUS /ˈrætəld/
thrown into a state of agitated confusion; (“rattled” is an informal term)
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
past form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
reignedverbUS /reɪnd/
past form of “reign” — have sovereign power
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
ruefullyadverbUS /ˈruːfəli/
in a rueful manner
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "We shan't get one to-night," Venner said.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of a cab could be seen.
shan't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We shan't get one to-night," Venner said.
sheetsnounUS /ʃiːts/
plural of “sheet” — any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of a cab could be seen.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
slippersnounUS /ˈslɪpərz/
plural of “slipper” — low footwear that can be slipped on and off easily; usually worn indoors
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
make steady
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
supremeadjectiveUS /səˈpriːm/
final or last in your life or progress
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Silence reigned supreme but for the steady plash of the raindrops as they rattled on the pavements.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of a cab could be seen.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading IN THE LIFT Gurdon looked out from the shelter of the great portico to see the sheets of rain falling on the pavement.
to-night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We shan't get one to-night," Venner said.
Venner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We shan't get one to-night," Venner said.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We shan't get one to-night," Venner said.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading To walk half a mile on such a night meant getting wet through; and Gurdon somewhat ruefully regarded his thin slippers and his light dust overcoat.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading Half a dozen times the night porter blew his whistle, but no sign of a cab could be seen.
