used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He thrust his hands into his pockets and scowled about him.
actualitynounUS /ˌæktʃuːˈælətiː/
the state of actually existing objectively
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
in the past
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
amendmentnounUS /əˈmendmənt/
the act of amending or correcting
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
apparelnounUS /əˈpærəl/
clothing in general
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
Arden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
arrestverbUS /ərˈest/
take into custody
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
cindernounUS /ˈsɪndər/
a fragment of incombustible matter left after a wood or coal or charcoal fire
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
clothing in general
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
coloursnounUS /ˈkʌlərz/
a distinguishing emblem
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
contoursnounUS /ˈkɑːntʊrz/
plural of “contour” — a line drawn on a map connecting points of equal height
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
disguisenounUS /dɪsˈɡaɪz/
A means of altering one's appearance to conceal one's identity.
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
effectiveadjectiveUS /ɪˈfektɪv/
producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
Enoch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
equatorialadjectiveUS /ˌiːkwəˈtɔːriəl/
of or relating to or at an equator
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
the organ of sight
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He thrust his hands into his pockets and scowled about him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He thrust his hands into his pockets and scowled about him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He thrust his hands into his pockets and scowled about him.
homesicknessnounUS /ˈhoʊmsɪknəs/
a longing to return home
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
icicled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
illusoryadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈluːsəri/
based on or having the nature of an illusion
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He thrust his hands into his pockets and scowled about him.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
latitudesnounUS /ˈlætətuːdz/
plural of “latitude” — the angular distance between an imaginary line around a heavenly body parallel to its equator and the equator itself
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
MarlinnounUS /ˈmɑːrlən/
large long-jawed oceanic sport fishes; related to sailfishes and spearfishes; not completely cold-blooded i.e. able to warm their brains and eyes
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
middle-agedadjectiveUS /ˈmɪdəleɪɡd/
being roughly between 45 and 65 years old
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
ontoprepositionUS /ˈɑːntuː/
moving to a position on a surface
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
a raised horizontal surface
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
plural of “pocket” — a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading He thrust his hands into his pockets and scowled about him.
plural of “quality” — an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
with low volume
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
ravinesnounUS /rəˈviːnz/
plural of “ravine” — a deep narrow steep-sided valley (especially one formed by running water)
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
razornounUS /ˈreɪzər/
edge tool used in shaving
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
scowledverbUS /skaʊld/
past form of “scowl” — frown with displeasure
From this reading He thrust his hands into his pockets and scowled about him.
shiveredverbUS /ˈʃɪvərd/
past form of “shiver” — tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
ShrewdadjectiveUS /ʃruːd/
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
softenedadjectiveUS /ˈsɔːfənd/
toned down
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
stingverbUS /stɪŋ/
cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
produced or marked by conscious design or premeditation
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
tawdryadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːdri/
tastelessly showy
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
push forcefully
From this reading He thrust his hands into his pockets and scowled about him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
create by training and teaching
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
transformingverbUS /trænˈsfɔːrmɪŋ/
-ing form of “transform” — subject to a mathematical transformation
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
unevenadjectiveUS /əˈniːvən/
not even or uniform as e.g. in shape or texture
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Quietly dressed in clothes that were neither good enough nor mean enough to arrest the passing eye, a middle-aged man dropped from the evening train onto the cinder platform at Marlin Town.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
whippedverbUS /wɪpt/
inflected form of “whip” — beat severely with a whip or rod
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Shrewd winds whipped in through icicled ravines, and the new arrival fresh from equatorial latitudes shivered under their sting.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For so long his memory had softened the uneven contours and colours of this town with the illusory qualities of homesickness that now its tawdry actuality brought something of a shock.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
a late time of life
From this reading The transforming touch of a razor, a studied amendment of manner and apparel, and the passing of ten years: these are things which can work an effective disguise for an Enoch Arden returned to village streets that knew him long ago.
