Chapter VIII

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

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

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

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

(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 There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

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

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

on the far side of; further than

From this reading OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND The boys had no packing to do.

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND The boys had no packing to do.

food made from dough of flour or meal and usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

the person or thing chosen or selected

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

-ing form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

hold firmly and tightly

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

clothing in general

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

providing no shelter or sustenance

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND The boys had no packing to do.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

not still wet

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

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

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

abstaining from food

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

a ceremonial dinner party for many people

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

the ripened reproductive body of a seed plant

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

in a gradual manner

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

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

From this reading OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND The boys had no packing to do.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

the native habitat or home of an animal or plant

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

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

From this reading OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND The boys had no packing to do.

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

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

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND The boys had no packing to do.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

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

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

tiny leafy-stemmed flowerless plants

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

used to form the superlative

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

not any; not one

From this reading OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND The boys had no packing to do.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

and nothing more

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND The boys had no packing to do.

any material used especially to protect something

From this reading OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND The boys had no packing to do.

plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

a course of conduct

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

a purple color or pigment

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

the extended spatial location of something

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

precisely, exactly

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

possessive form of “sailor” — any member of a ship's crew

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

the act of spending or disbursing money

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

-ing form of “sustain” — lengthen or extend in duration or space

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

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

From this reading OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND The boys had no packing to do.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

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

From this reading OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND The boys had no packing to do.

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

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

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

the topmost one of two

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

precisely as stated

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

a period of sleeplessness

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right.

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

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

in or at the place that

From this reading Gradually they left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few and far between.

in the company of; together with

From this reading There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their time in fasting and prayer.

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading They possessed nothing but the clothes they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world.