Chapter V

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

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

personal knowledge or information about someone or something

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

acted upon; influenced

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

(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 Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

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

From this reading The place had narrowed and grown small in every way.

accomplishment of an objective

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

the capacity to understand a broad range of topics

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

plural of “breeze” — a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

an assertion of a right (as to money or property)

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

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

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

(used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

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

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

past form of “dwindle” — become smaller or lose substance

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

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

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading The place had narrowed and grown small in every way.

every person

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

all things; all of a situation

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

the property of being pure and fresh (as if newly made); not stale or deteriorated

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

(of animals) fully developed

From this reading The place had narrowed and grown small in every way.

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

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

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

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

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

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

elevated (e.g., mountainous) land

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

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

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

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

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

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

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

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

From this reading The place had narrowed and grown small in every way.

the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

tediously repetitious or lacking in variety

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

reduced in size as by squeezing together

From this reading The place had narrowed and grown small in every way.

possessive form of “neighbour” — a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

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

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

not any; not one

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

on one occasion

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

and nothing more

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

the ability to think and act independently

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

not worth considering

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

deliberate and stubborn unruliness and resistance to guidance or discipline

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading The place had narrowed and grown small in every way.

plural of “resolution” — a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

Identical; not different.

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

the place where some action occurs

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

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

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

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

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The place had narrowed and grown small in every way.

a state of social isolation

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

a thing, without saying which

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

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

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

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

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

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

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

moved around an axis or center

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

German conductor (1876-1962)

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

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

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The place had narrowed and grown small in every way.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading They had never been distinguished by intelligence or originality, but he had not been aware how paltry they were before.

at the time that

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

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

From this reading Something of the same perversity which had turned all his good resolutions to nothing on the night of his arrival, affected Walter when he went out next morning into Sloebury.

which person or people

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading There was no horizon, only lines of brick houses; no space, only the breadth of a street; no air to breathe for a man who had come from the wide solitude of the hills, and the keen freshness of the Highland breezes.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Everything here was paltry, and monotonous, and small; the people who met him--and he met everybody, and there was not a man who could claim the slightest acquaintance with him, or a woman who had seen him once in her neighbour's drawing-room who did not now claim acquaintance with Lord Erradeen--seemed to have dwindled along with the scene.