Chapter I · Chapter 1

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

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

giving or marked by complete attention to

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

aimlessly drifting

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

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

From this reading Wilson's position was an unusual one for a theological student.

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

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

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

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

providing no shelter or sustenance

From this reading The path before him seemed a bit less bright, the night a bit more barren.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The path before him seemed a bit less bright, the night a bit more barren.

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading The path before him seemed a bit less bright, the night a bit more barren.

state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading The path before him seemed a bit less bright, the night a bit more barren.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

intentionally conceived

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

a place off to the side of an area

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

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

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

the feeling of lively and cheerful joy

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Wilson's position was an unusual one for a theological student.

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

set up or found

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

a young female

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

a quick look

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

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

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

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

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The path before him seemed a bit less bright, the night a bit more barren.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

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

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

a vast multitude

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

have an emotional or cognitive impact upon

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

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

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

in a manner differing from the usual or expected

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

all the time; seemingly without stopping

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading The path before him seemed a bit less bright, the night a bit more barren.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

gracefully thin and bending and moving with ease

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

something that is lost

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

below the surround or below the normal position

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

superlative of “mere” — being nothing more than specified

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading The path before him seemed a bit less bright, the night a bit more barren.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Wilson's position was an unusual one for a theological student.

and nothing more

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

plural of “open” — a clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

a course of conduct

From this reading The path before him seemed a bit less bright, the night a bit more barren.

-ing form of “peer” — look searchingly

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

having an agreeably pungent taste

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading Wilson's position was an unusual one for a theological student.

with speed

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

past form of “react” — show a response or a reaction to something

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The path before him seemed a bit less bright, the night a bit more barren.

a general conscious awareness

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

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

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

past form of “shuffle” — walk by dragging one's feet

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

preliminary drawing for later elaboration

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

lacking brightness or color; dull

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution

From this reading Wilson's position was an unusual one for a theological student.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

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

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

of or relating to or concerning theology

From this reading Wilson's position was an unusual one for a theological student.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

two times

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

plural of “umbrella” — a lightweight handheld collapsible canopy

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.

not usual or common or ordinary

From this reading Wilson's position was an unusual one for a theological student.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

excessively greedy and grasping

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

plural of “wandering” — travelling about without any clear destination

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

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

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

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

From this reading As she was absorbed by the voracious horde which shuffled interminably and inexplicably up and down the street, he felt a sense of loss.

beating with a whip or strap or rope as a form of punishment

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

author of the first novel by an African American that was published in the United States (1808-1870)

From this reading _The Closed Door Opens_ In his aimless wanderings around Boston that night Wilson passed the girl twice, and each time, though he caught only a glimpse of her lithe form bent against the whipping rain, the merest sketch of her somber features, he was distinctly conscious of the impress of her personality.

possessive form of “wilson” — author of the first novel by an African American that was published in the United States (1808-1870)

From this reading Wilson's position was an unusual one for a theological student.

in the company of; together with

From this reading And although in the excitement of the eager life about him he quickly reacted, he did not turn a corner but he found himself peering beneath the lowered umbrellas with a piquant sense of hope.