used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
(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 He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
arguedverbUS /ˈɑːrɡjuːd/
past form of “argue” — present reasons and arguments
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
for the reason that
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
blissfullyadverbUS /ˈblɪsfəli/
in a blissful manner
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
cause to be bored
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
a series of things depending on each other as if linked together
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
clocksnounUS /klɑːks/
European weed naturalized in southwestern United States and Mexico having reddish decumbent stems with small fernlike leaves and small deep reddish-lavender flowers followed by slender fruits that stick straight up; often grown for forage
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
developmentsnounUS /dɪˈveləpmənts/
plural of “development” — act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
devisedverbUS /dɪˈvaɪzd/
past form of “devise” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading In spite of himself a shiver ran down his back.
draggingadjectiveUS /ˈdræɡɪŋ/
marked by a painfully slow and effortful manner
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
put up with something or somebody unpleasant
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
at any time
From this reading There was no mistaking it; it was a real chain, if he had ever heard one.
fidgets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
ghostsnounUS /ɡoʊsts/
plural of “ghost” — a mental representation of some haunting experience
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
the act of departing
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
humornounUS /ˈhjuːmər/
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
and nothing more
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
immediately past
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
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 It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
for more time
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
mistakingnounUS /mɪˈsteɪkɪŋ/
putting the wrong interpretation on
From this reading There was no mistaking it; it was a real chain, if he had ever heard one.
moderatelyadverbUS /ˈmɑːdərətli/
to certain extent or degree
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
easily agitated
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
not any; not one
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was no mistaking it; it was a real chain, if he had ever heard one.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading In spite of himself a shiver ran down his back.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading There was no mistaking it; it was a real chain, if he had ever heard one.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
shiververbUS /ˈʃɪvər/
tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading In spite of himself a shiver ran down his back.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading In spite of himself a shiver ran down his back.
not in physical motion
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
tolledverbUS /toʊld/
past form of “toll” — ring slowly
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading It seemed to him that hours so long had never been devised as those the town clocks tolled off that night.
twitchesnounUS /ˈtwɪtʃɪz/
plural of “twitch” — a sudden muscle spasm; especially one caused by a nervous condition
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
unusedadjectiveUS /əˈnjuːzd/
not yet used or soiled
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
at the time that
From this reading He took the fidgets, and had nervous twitches all over him, and at last he could endure it no longer, and had leaned his head back against the wall and was going blissfully to sleep when---- He heard a chain dragging just beyond the open door of that unused room.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He bore it until midnight moderately well, because, he argued with himself, if there were any ghosts about they would surely walk then; but they were not in a humor for walking; and still the hours rolled on without any developments.
