used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
balesnounUS /beɪlz/
plural of “bale” — a large bundle bound for storage or transport
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
boxesnounUS /ˈbɑːksəz/
plural of “box” — a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But where did they get the current?”
-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
chapsnounUS /tʃæps/
plural of “chap” — a boy or man
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
corridorsnounUS /ˈkɔːrɪdərz/
plural of “corridor” — an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading “But where did they get the current?”
cutternounUS /ˈkʌtər/
someone who cuts or carves stone
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “But where did they get the current?”
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
docknounUS /dɑːk/
an enclosure in a court of law where the defendant sits during the trial
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
electricadjectiveUS /ɪˈlektrɪk/
using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
electricitynounUS /ɪˌlekˈtrɪsəti/
a physical phenomenon associated with stationary or moving electrons and protons
From this reading Heated the place with electricity.”
plural of “fellow” — a boy or man
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
a fortified military post where troops are stationed
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “But where did they get the current?”
granitenounUS /ˈɡrænət/
plutonic igneous rock having visibly crystalline texture; generally composed of feldspar and mica and quartz
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
HeatedadjectiveUS /ˈhiːtəd/
made warm or hot (“het” is a dialectal variant of “heated”)
From this reading Heated the place with electricity.”
heaternounUS /ˈhiːtər/
device that heats water or supplies warmth to a room
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
IngeniousadjectiveUS /ɪnˈdʒiː.ni.əs/
Clever, original, and remarkably inventive in design and execution.
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
the force of workers available
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
on one occasion
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Heated the place with electricity.”
resourcefuladjectiveUS /riˈsɔːrsfəl/
having inner resources; adroit or imaginative
From this reading “Ingenious and resourceful.
revenuenounUS /ˈrevənuː/
the entire amount of income before any deductions are made
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
work done by one person or group that benefits another
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
snugadjectiveUS /snʌɡ/
offering safety; well protected or concealed
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
in a strange manner
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “But where did they get the current?”
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
arousing affect
From this reading “Ingenious chaps, those fellows were,” the little Secret Service man said, touching an electric heater.
undergroundadjectiveUS /ˈʌndərɡraʊnd/
under the level of the ground
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A few moments later the men from the revenue cutter were passing boxes and bales of silk up from the strangely snug underground room, and had begun carrying them down dim corridors to the ancient granite dock that had once served the fort.
in or at the place that
From this reading “But where did they get the current?”
in the company of; together with
From this reading Heated the place with electricity.”
