Chapter III · The Unexpected Happens

slightly open

From this reading The door was ajar, and the gas was burning inside, so I went in.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

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

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading I inferred that Barker had been called away, and had left the door open for Clyde.

someone who stands in front of a show (as at a carnival) and gives a loud colorful sales talk to potential customers

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading I inferred that Barker had been called away, and had left the door open for Clyde.

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

the act of burning something

From this reading The door was ajar, and the gas was burning inside, so I went in.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading I inferred that Barker had been called away, and had left the door open for Clyde.

a river in western Scotland that flows from the southern uplands into the Firth of Clyde; navigable by oceangoing vessels as far as Glasgow

From this reading I inferred that Barker had been called away, and had left the door open for Clyde.

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

provide with a covering or cause to be covered

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

furnished or concealed with curtains or draperies

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

without deviation

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading The door was ajar, and the gas was burning inside, so I went in.

make void or empty of contents

From this reading The room was empty.

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I inferred that Barker had been called away, and had left the door open for Clyde.

set up or found

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

the state of matter distinguished from the solid and liquid states by: relatively low density and viscosity

From this reading The door was ajar, and the gas was burning inside, so I went in.

a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

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

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

a change for the better; progress in development

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

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

From this reading The door was ajar, and the gas was burning inside, so I went in.

inflected form of “infer” — reason by deduction; establish by deduction

From this reading I inferred that Barker had been called away, and had left the door open for Clyde.

located inward

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space

From this reading The door was ajar, and the gas was burning inside, so I went in.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

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 I inferred that Barker had been called away, and had left the door open for Clyde.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

a quantity of no importance

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

not any; not one

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

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

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading I inferred that Barker had been called away, and had left the door open for Clyde.

(from potential of Hydrogen) the logarithm of the reciprocal of hydrogen-ion concentration in gram atoms per liter

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading The room was empty.

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The door was ajar, and the gas was burning inside, so I went in.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

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

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

in or at that place or location

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

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

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading I tried the door of an inner office, but found it locked, and by the curtained glass of the door I could see that there was no light in that room.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

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

From this reading The door was ajar, and the gas was burning inside, so I went in.

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

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading I went directly to the Ph[oe]nix Building, on the second floor of which Barker had his office under cover of the name of the Western Land and Improvement Company.