Chapter XX · Chapter 20

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

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

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

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

Having no one else present.

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

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

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

plural of “bond” — an electrical force linking atoms

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

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

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

plural of “compartment” — a space into which an area is subdivided

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

send away towards a designated goal

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

to say again or imitate

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

make void or empty of contents

From this reading The box was empty.

tiresomely long; seemingly without end

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading The box had fallen to the floor.

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

From this reading The box had fallen to the floor.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

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

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

to a considerable degree

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

not solid; having a space or gap or cavity

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

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

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

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

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a large box.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It was a large box.

departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

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

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

plural of “row” — an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

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

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

in or at that place or location

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

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

From this reading The box had fallen to the floor.

moved around an axis or center

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

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

From this reading The box was empty.

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

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

in the company of; together with

From this reading I Alexina stood alone in the strong room of the bank leaning heavily against the wall with its endless rows of compartments from one of which she had taken the dispatch box in which she had kept her bonds.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading If there had been any one in the room with her he would have started and turned as the box clanged with a hollow echo on the steel surface.