used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Sam found himself beginning to wonder about the meetings.
(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 stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading Sam found himself beginning to wonder about the meetings.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
ChicagonounUS /ʃəˈkɑːɡoʊ/
largest city in Illinois; a bustling Great Lakes port that extends 26 miles along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
child'snounUS /tʃaɪldz/
possessive form of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
crispadjectiveUS /krɪsp/
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
crowdsnounUS /kraʊdz/
plural of “crowd” — a large number of things or people considered together
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
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 One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
farmhousenounUS /ˈfɑːrmhaʊs/
house for a farmer and family
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
flutterverbUS /ˈflʌtər/
move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
set up or found
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
provided with whatever is necessary for a purpose (as furniture or equipment or authority)
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
hurryingadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːriɪŋ/
moving with great haste
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
ill-clad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
loiteringverbUS /ˈlɔɪtərɪŋ/
-ing form of “loiter” — be about
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
meetingsnounUS /ˈmiːtɪŋz/
plural of “meeting” — a formally arranged gathering
From this reading Sam found himself beginning to wonder about the meetings.
the force of workers available
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
a particular point in time
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
mumblingnounUS /ˈmʌmbəlɪŋ/
indistinct enunciation
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living tissues
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
reflectiveadjectiveUS /rɪˈflektɪv/
deeply or seriously thoughtful
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
RochesternounUS /ˈrɑːtʃestər/
a city in western New York; a center of the photographic equipment industry
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Little things--a smile on the lips of an ill-clad old man mumbling and hurrying past him on the street, or the flutter of a child’s hand from the doorway of a farmhouse--had furnished him food for hours of thought.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
which person or people
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading He stood in a doorway near a corner that seemed to be a public meeting place and from all sides came men and women who met at the corner, stood for a moment in talk, and then went away together.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading Sam found himself beginning to wonder about the meetings.
YnounUS /waɪ/
a silvery metallic element that is common in rare-earth minerals; used in magnesium and aluminum alloys
From this reading One crisp winter evening Sam found himself on a busy street corner in Rochester, N.Y., watching from a doorway the crowds of people hurrying or loitering past him.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading In the year since he had walked out of the Chicago office his mind had grown more and more reflective.
