used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading And yet--was the explanation so perfect, after all?
(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 HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
a series of things depending on each other as if linked together
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
continualadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəl/
recurring regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
the specified day of the month
From this reading Mechanically I pulled the paper out of the drawer, and searched for the date.
disguisenounUS /dɪsˈɡaɪz/
A means of altering one's appearance to conceal one's identity.
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
disturbancenounUS /dɪˈstɜːrbəns/
activity that is a malfunction, intrusion, or interruption
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
drawernounUS /drɔːr/
a boxlike container in a piece of furniture; made so as to slide in and out
From this reading Mechanically I pulled the paper out of the drawer, and searched for the date.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
a social unit living together
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mechanically I pulled the paper out of the drawer, and searched for the date.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading And I understood why it was true that I must go away and utterly forget.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading And I understood why it was true that I must go away and utterly forget.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
not accessible to view
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
listlessadjectiveUS /ˈlɪstləs/
lacking zest or vivacity
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
MechanicallyadverbUS /məˈkænɪkli/
in a mechanical manner; by a mechanism
From this reading Mechanically I pulled the paper out of the drawer, and searched for the date.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading And I understood why it was true that I must go away and utterly forget.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading Mechanically I pulled the paper out of the drawer, and searched for the date.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading And yet--was the explanation so perfect, after all?
pocketbooknounUS /ˈpɑːkətbʊk/
your personal financial means
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
pretexts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading Mechanically I pulled the paper out of the drawer, and searched for the date.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
relieve from
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
searchedverbUS /sɜːrtʃt/
past form of “search” — try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading Mechanically I pulled the paper out of the drawer, and searched for the date.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
strangenessnounUS /ˈstreɪndʒnəs/
unusualness as a consequence of not being well known
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
symbolnounUS /ˈsɪmbəl/
an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And I understood why it was true that I must go away and utterly forget.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading And I understood why it was true that I must go away and utterly forget.
UNCONVENTIONALadjectiveUS /ˌʌnkənˈvenʃənəl/
not conforming to accepted rules or standards
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading And I understood why it was true that I must go away and utterly forget.
precisely as stated
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I had the explanation now; I understood it all--the hidden ring at the end of the chain, and the shadow of which it was the symbol, the mystery and disturbance of the house, the continual pretexts to get rid of me, the effort to disguise any strangeness of appearance in the life of the family.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
showing curiosity
From this reading HOW WE MADE AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY TO TOWN Very carefully, and wondering the while in a listless fashion why I should do so at all, I tore out the notice and put it carefully away in my pocketbook.
but in spite of that
From this reading And yet--was the explanation so perfect, after all?
