used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
alertadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
on or to one side
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
craning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
divisible by two
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
opinion or judgment
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
Ferguson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
-ing form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
the act of departing
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
half-caught
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
Hallie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
come to pass
From this reading It was reassuring in a way, as if after all nothing remarkable were going to happen.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
idlyadverbUS /ˈaɪdli/
in an idle manner
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
individualsnounUS /ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəlz/
plural of “individual” — a human being
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
janitorsnounUS /ˈdʒænətərz/
plural of “janitor” — someone employed to clean and maintain a building
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
determine the result of (a competition)
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
immediately past
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
lawyersnounUS /ˈlɔːjərz/
plural of “lawyer” — a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
lollingverbUS /ˈlɑːlɪŋ/
-ing form of “loll” — hang loosely or laxly
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
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 Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
a particular point in time
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
in motion
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
necksnounUS /neks/
plural of “neck” — the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
easily agitated
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
not any; not one
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading It was reassuring in a way, as if after all nothing remarkable were going to happen.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
and nothing more
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
yielding a fair profit
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
peacefuladjectiveUS /ˈpiːsfəl/
not disturbed by strife or turmoil or war
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
prosaicadjectiveUS /proʊˈzeɪɪk/
not fanciful or imaginative
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
railingnounUS /ˈreɪlɪŋ/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
reassuringadjectiveUS /ˌriːəˈʃʊrɪŋ/
restoring confidence and relieving anxiety
From this reading It was reassuring in a way, as if after all nothing remarkable were going to happen.
unusual or striking
From this reading It was reassuring in a way, as if after all nothing remarkable were going to happen.
worried and uneasy
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
rumornounUS /ˈruːmər/
gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
move hurridly
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
scribblingverbUS /ˈskrɪbəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “scribble” — write down quickly without much attention to detail
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
sentencesnounUS /ˈsentənsəz/
plural of “sentence” — a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
shiftingadjectiveUS /ˈʃɪftɪŋ/
continuously varying
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
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 Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
towedverbUS /toʊd/
past form of “tow” — drag behind
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
the act of testing something
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
vaguestadjectiveUS /ˈveɪɡɪst/
superlative of “vague” — not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL After the restless crowd--craning necks; shifting feet, half-caught sentences--excited, alert, like a nervous horse dancing at a shadow, ready at the vaguest rumor to rush into a sensation, how quiet, prosaic, and even peaceful the court room seemed!
be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
migratory
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading It was reassuring in a way, as if after all nothing remarkable were going to happen.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
at the time that
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
in or at the place that
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading Hallie came over to where we sat, and began to whisper in my ear some long story of something which she was deeply absorbed in at the moment.
a Caucasian
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Some women came in all in a group, among them Hallie Ferguson, her mother hanging back in her wake, as if she were being towed along in spite of herself.
the act of creating written works
From this reading That morning when we entered it was only partly filled, and in the space behind the railing the clerk of the court was scribbling, the lawyers were lolling, certain individuals looking like janitors were wandering idly about, and at his high desk the judge was writing steadily, his fine, white hand moving across the paper, his eyes now and then glancing aside as if he were thinking and paying no attention at all to what was going on in the room around him.
