used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading DOWN flight after flight went Esther Forsyth and little Ailie Carter.
Ailie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DOWN flight after flight went Esther Forsyth and little Ailie Carter.
AILIE'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AILIE'S CELLAR-HOME.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading DOWN flight after flight went Esther Forsyth and little Ailie Carter.
angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/
feeling or showing anger
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
CarternounUS /ˈkɑːrtər/
Englishman and Egyptologist who in 1922 discovered and excavated the tomb of Tutankhamen (1873-1939)
From this reading DOWN flight after flight went Esther Forsyth and little Ailie Carter.
CELLAR-HOME
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AILIE'S CELLAR-HOME.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
discordnounUS /ˈdɪskɔːrd/
lack of agreement or harmony
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading DOWN flight after flight went Esther Forsyth and little Ailie Carter.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
EsthernounUS /ˈestər/
(Old Testament) a beautiful Jewess chosen by the king of Persia to be his queen; she stopped a plot to massacre all the Jews in Persia (an event celebrated by Jews as the feast of Purim)
From this reading DOWN flight after flight went Esther Forsyth and little Ailie Carter.
exchangedadjectiveUS /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒd/
changed for (replaced by) something different
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading DOWN flight after flight went Esther Forsyth and little Ailie Carter.
Forsyth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DOWN flight after flight went Esther Forsyth and little Ailie Carter.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
greetingnounUS /ˈɡriːtɪŋ/
(usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
ground-flooradjective
on the floor closest to level with the ground
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
huddledadjectiveUS /ˈhʌdəld/
crowded or massed together
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
infantsnounUS /ˈɪnfənts/
plural of “infant” — a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
issuedverbUS /ˈɪʃuːd/
past form of “issue” — prepare and issue for public distribution or sale
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading DOWN flight after flight went Esther Forsyth and little Ailie Carter.
the force of workers available
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
protector's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
public-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
ragsnounUS /ræɡz/
plural of “rag” — a small piece of cloth or paper
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
tending to return to an earlier state
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
sadderadjectiveUS /ˈsædər/
comparative of “sad” — experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
the state of being asleep
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
staggeredverbUS /ˈstæɡərd/
past form of “stagger” — walk as if unable to control one's movements
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
not in physical motion
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading One or two rough men, returning from the public-house, staggered past them, and Ailie crept closer to her protector's side.
unwomanlyadjective
not womanly
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
wailingnounUS /ˈweɪlɪŋ/
loud cries made while weeping
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading DOWN flight after flight went Esther Forsyth and little Ailie Carter.
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Still they went on—past the second story, past the first story, past the ground-floor; past open doors, showing sleeping children huddled in rags; past closed doors, from which came the wailing of hungry infants; past other doors, whence issued sadder sounds of raised voices and angry discord.
in the company of; together with
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading One or two "women, dressed in unwomanly rags," came up the stairs, and exchanged a word of greeting with Esther.
