used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Arrived at the doorway he paused for a moment to look at the scene before him.
abstractedadjectiveUS /ˈæbstræktɪd/
lost in thought; showing preoccupation
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
antsnounUS /ænts/
plural of “ant” — social insect living in organized colonies; characteristically the males and fertile queen have wings during breeding season; wingless sterile females are the workers
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Arrived at the doorway he paused for a moment to look at the scene before him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Arrived at the doorway he paused for a moment to look at the scene before him.
barrowsnounUS /ˈbæroʊz/
plural of “barrow” — the quantity that a barrow will hold
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Arrived at the doorway he paused for a moment to look at the scene before him.
bucketsnounUS /ˈbʌkəts/
plural of “bucket” — a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
ceaselessadjectiveUS /ˈsiːslɪs/
uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
chaosnounUS /ˈkeɪɑːs/
a state of extreme confusion and disorder
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
chiselling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
churchyardnounUS /ˈtʃɜːrtʃjɑːrd/
the yard associated with a church
From this reading MURAL PAINTINGS JOHN walked up the flagged path of the churchyard.
creatorsnounUS /kriˈeɪtərz/
plural of “creator” — terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
Doorless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
echoingadjectiveUS /ˈekoʊɪŋ/
(of sounds) repeating by reflection
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
at any time
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
flaggedverbUS /flæɡd/
inflected form of “flag” — communicate or signal with a flag
From this reading MURAL PAINTINGS JOHN walked up the flagged path of the churchyard.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Arrived at the doorway he paused for a moment to look at the scene before him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
hammeringnounUS /ˈhæmərɪŋ/
the act of pounding (delivering repeated heavy blows)
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
hammersnounUS /ˈhæmərz/
plural of “hammer” — the part of a gunlock that strikes the percussion cap when the trigger is pulled
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
handfulnounUS /ˈhændfʊl/
a small number or amount
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Arrived at the doorway he paused for a moment to look at the scene before him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
incredibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkredəbəl/
beyond belief or understanding
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
jangleverbUS /ˈdʒæŋɡəl/
make a sound typical of metallic objects
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading MURAL PAINTINGS JOHN walked up the flagged path of the churchyard.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Arrived at the doorway he paused for a moment to look at the scene before him.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
a particular point in time
From this reading Arrived at the doorway he paused for a moment to look at the scene before him.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
MURALnounUS /ˈmjʊrəl/
a painting that is applied to a wall surface
From this reading MURAL PAINTINGS JOHN walked up the flagged path of the churchyard.
noisesnounUS /ˈnɔɪzɪz/
plural of “noise” — sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
NormannounUS /ˈnɔːrmən/
United States operatic soprano (born in 1945)
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MURAL PAINTINGS JOHN walked up the flagged path of the churchyard.
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
PAINTINGSnounUS /ˈpeɪntɪŋz/
plural of “painting” — graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface
From this reading MURAL PAINTINGS JOHN walked up the flagged path of the churchyard.
a course of conduct
From this reading MURAL PAINTINGS JOHN walked up the flagged path of the churchyard.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading Arrived at the doorway he paused for a moment to look at the scene before him.
planing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
planksnounUS /plæŋks/
plural of “plank” — a stout length of sawn timber; made in a wide variety of sizes and used for many purposes
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
past form of “propose” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
raspingadjective
unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
restlessadjectiveUS /ˈrestləs/
worried and uneasy
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
sawingverbUS /ˈsɔːɪŋ/
-ing form of “saw” — cut with a saw
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
sawsnounUS /sɔːz/
plural of “saw” — a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
scaffoldingnounUS /ˈskæfəldɪŋ/
a system of scaffolds
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading Arrived at the doorway he paused for a moment to look at the scene before him.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
shellnounUS /ʃel/
ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MURAL PAINTINGS JOHN walked up the flagged path of the churchyard.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading MURAL PAINTINGS JOHN walked up the flagged path of the churchyard.
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading MURAL PAINTINGS JOHN walked up the flagged path of the churchyard.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
windowless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Sounds of work came to him through the little Norman doorway--the beating of hammers, the rasping of saws, the jangle of buckets.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Doorless, windowless,--in the matter of glass,--it was a mere shell of a church, filled with scaffolding, planks, barrows, buckets; echoing with the ceaseless sound of hammering, sawing, chiselling, planing; while, within the shell, the creators of the various noises moved and worked like a handful of restless ants.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It would seem almost incredible that order should ever be abstracted from the present chaos, at all events in the space of time proposed.
