used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
alcoholnounUS /ˈælkəhɑːl/
a liquor or brew containing alcohol as the active agent
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Business, as Luke entered, was already under weigh, and the room was filled.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Business, as Luke entered, was already under weigh, and the room was filled.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading Business, as Luke entered, was already under weigh, and the room was filled.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
cigarsnounUS /sɪˈɡɑːrz/
plural of “cigar” — a roll of tobacco for smoking
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
clampedverbUS /klæmpt/
past form of “clamp” — fasten or fix with a clamp
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
collapsibleadjectiveUS /kəˈlæpsəbəl/
capable of collapsing or being collapsed
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
CommitteenounUS /kəˈmɪti/
a special group delegated to consider some matter
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
committee-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He did not stop in his own office.
digestiveadjectiveUS /daɪˈdʒestɪv/
relating to or having the power to cause or promote digestion
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading Business, as Luke entered, was already under weigh, and the room was filled.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading Business, as Luke entered, was already under weigh, and the room was filled.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
fumesnounUS /fjuːmz/
gases ejected from an engine as waste products
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
funeralsnounUS /ˈfjuːnərəlz/
plural of “funeral” — a ceremony at which a dead person is buried or cremated
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He did not stop in his own office.
hireverbUS /ˈhaɪər/
engage or hire for work
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He did not stop in his own office.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He did not stop in his own office.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
juicesnounUS /ˈdʒuːsəz/
plural of “juice” — the liquid part that can be extracted from plant or animal tissue by squeezing or cooking
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
lounged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
LukenounUS /luːk/
(New Testament) the Apostle closely associated with St. Paul and traditionally assumed to be the author of the third Gospel
From this reading Business, as Luke entered, was already under weigh, and the room was filled.
the force of workers available
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
used to form the superlative
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
mouthsnounUS /maʊðz/
plural of “mouth” — the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He did not stop in his own office.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading He did not stop in his own office.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
on one occasion
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He did not stop in his own office.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Business, as Luke entered, was already under weigh, and the room was filled.
rowsnounUS /roʊz/
plural of “row” — an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
smelledverbUS /smeld/
past form of “smell” — inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
smokyadjectiveUS /ˈsmoʊki/
marked by or emitting or filled with smoke
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading He did not stop in his own office.
summonsnounUS /ˈsʌmənz/
a request to be present
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
tobacconounUS /təˈbækoʊ/
leaves of the tobacco plant dried and prepared for smoking or ingestion
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
typistsnounUS /ˈtaɪpɪsts/
plural of “typist” — someone paid to operate a typewriter
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Business, as Luke entered, was already under weigh, and the room was filled.
undertakers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading In the body of the narrow hall a crowd of men lounged upon rows of those collapsible chairs, clamped together, which undertakers hire out for funerals; most of the men had cigars in their mouths, and the smoky air smelled of tobacco and the fumes from the action of alcohol on the digestive juices.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Business, as Luke entered, was already under weigh, and the room was filled.
weighverbUS /weɪ/
have a certain weight
From this reading Business, as Luke entered, was already under weigh, and the room was filled.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He went at once to the committee-room, which opened from that of the typists’.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The Committee must have received a special summons and begun its work before the usual time.
