used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
AladdinnounUS /æˈlædɪn/
in the Arabian Nights a boy who acquires a magic lamp from which he can summon a genie
From this reading Aladdin was a boy like himself, who was scolded, and cuffed on the ears.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE DEAREST WISH HE read--and the shining Orient burst upon him!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
on or to one side
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
Barber'snounUS /ˈbɑːrbərz/
possessive form of “barber” — United States composer (1910-1981)
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
completely unclothed
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
for the reason that
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
a youthful male person
From this reading Aladdin was a boy like himself, who was scolded, and cuffed on the ears.
brushedadjectiveUS /brʌʃt/
touched lightly in passing; grazed against
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading THE DEAREST WISH HE read--and the shining Orient burst upon him!
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading What he saw there rooted him to his chair, holding him spellbound.
contrastedverbUS /kənˈtræstəd/
past form of “contrast” — put in opposition to show or emphasize differences
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
cuffedverbUS /kʌft/
past form of “cuff” — hit with the hand
From this reading Aladdin was a boy like himself, who was scolded, and cuffed on the ears.
curtainsnounUS /ˈkɜːrtənz/
plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
a beloved person; used as terms of endearment
From this reading THE DEAREST WISH HE read--and the shining Orient burst upon him!
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Aladdin was a boy like himself, who was scolded, and cuffed on the ears.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
experiencesnounUS /ɪkˈspɪriənsɪz/
plural of “experience” — the accumulation of knowledge or skill that results from direct participation in events or activities
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
gossameradjectiveUS /ˈɡɑːsəmər/
characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE DEAREST WISH HE read--and the shining Orient burst upon him!
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE DEAREST WISH HE read--and the shining Orient burst upon him!
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Aladdin was a boy like himself, who was scolded, and cuffed on the ears.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading What he saw there rooted him to his chair, holding him spellbound.
the act of retaining something
From this reading What he saw there rooted him to his chair, holding him spellbound.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Aladdin was a boy like himself, who was scolded, and cuffed on the ears.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
used to form the superlative
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Aladdin was a boy like himself, who was scolded, and cuffed on the ears.
OrientverbUS /ˈɔːrient/
be oriented
From this reading THE DEAREST WISH HE read--and the shining Orient burst upon him!
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading THE DEAREST WISH HE read--and the shining Orient burst upon him!
rootedadjectiveUS /ˈruːtəd/
absolutely still
From this reading What he saw there rooted him to his chair, holding him spellbound.
cut with a saw
From this reading What he saw there rooted him to his chair, holding him spellbound.
scoldedverbUS /ˈskoʊldɪd/
past form of “scold” — censure severely or angrily
From this reading Aladdin was a boy like himself, who was scolded, and cuffed on the ears.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
in an aggressive manner
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading THE DEAREST WISH HE read--and the shining Orient burst upon him!
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
spellboundadjectiveUS /ˈspelbaʊnd/
having your attention fixated as though by a spell
From this reading What he saw there rooted him to his chair, holding him spellbound.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DEAREST WISH HE read--and the shining Orient burst upon him!
in or at that place or location
From this reading What he saw there rooted him to his chair, holding him spellbound.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading What he saw there rooted him to his chair, holding him spellbound.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading THE DEAREST WISH HE read--and the shining Orient burst upon him!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What he saw there rooted him to his chair, holding him spellbound.
which person or people
From this reading Aladdin was a boy like himself, who was scolded, and cuffed on the ears.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading THE DEAREST WISH HE read--and the shining Orient burst upon him!
in the company of; together with
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading It was as if the most delicate of gossamer curtains had been brushed aside so that he could look at a new world.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet not so much because it contrasted sharply with his own little world, this bare flat of Barber's in the lower East Side, as that it seemed to fit in perfectly with his own experiences.
