used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There would be a handshake, and a few words, no more, and then we separated.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There would be a handshake, and a few words, no more, and then we separated.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading How lonely it would have been otherwise!
billetsnounUS /ˈbɪləts/
plural of “billet” — a short personal letter
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
companiesnounUS /ˈkʌmpəniːz/
plural of “company” — an institution created to conduct business
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
zealous in devotion or affection
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading There would be a handshake, and a few words, no more, and then we separated.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They on their side lived for themselves.
having unexpected good fortune
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
handshakenounUS /ˈhændʃeɪk/
grasping and shaking a person's hand (as to acknowledge an introduction or to agree on a contract)
From this reading There would be a handshake, and a few words, no more, and then we separated.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading How lonely it would have been otherwise!
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
Holveck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How lonely it would have been otherwise!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
Ladmirault
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
Laraque
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading They on their side lived for themselves.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading How lonely it would have been otherwise!
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading There would be a handshake, and a few words, no more, and then we separated.
not any; not one
From this reading There would be a handshake, and a few words, no more, and then we separated.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
in other respects or ways
From this reading How lonely it would have been otherwise!
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
being or feeling set or kept apart from others
From this reading There would be a handshake, and a few words, no more, and then we separated.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading They on their side lived for themselves.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading In billets we sometimes happened to come across friends from other companies: Laraque, Ladmirault, or Holveck.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They on their side lived for themselves.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading They on their side lived for themselves.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading There would be a handshake, and a few words, no more, and then we separated.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There would be a handshake, and a few words, no more, and then we separated.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They on their side lived for themselves.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A SHADOW ON THE PICTURE It was fortunate that we were three friends, three brothers, each less devoted to himself than to the others.
the words that are spoken
From this reading There would be a handshake, and a few words, no more, and then we separated.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading How lonely it would have been otherwise!
