used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading His black hair was unusually long.
broad-brimmedadjective
(of hats) having a broad brim
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
consulnounUS /ˈkɑːnsəl/
a diplomat appointed by a government to protect its commercial interests and help its citizens in a foreign country
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
consul's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
EarlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading His black hair was unusually long.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His black hair was unusually long.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
JapannounUS /dʒəˈpæn/
a string of more than 3,000 islands to the east of Asia extending 1,300 miles between the Sea of Japan and the western Pacific Ocean
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
the month following June and preceding August
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
and nothing more
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
immediately past
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
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 His black hair was unusually long.
mailnounUS /meɪl/
the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
the force of workers available
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
MondaynounUS /ˈmʌndi/
the second day of the week; the first working day
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
cut with a saw
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
express in speech
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
spectaclesnounUS /ˈspektəkəlz/
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
a clam that is usually steamed in the shell
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The American consul had promised to speak for me to the captain of a fast mail steamer to sail a few days later.
thick-rimmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Early the following Monday, the last day of July, I turned in at the American consul’s office just as two men stepped out.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
unusuallyadverbUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəli/
to a remarkable degree or extent
From this reading His black hair was unusually long.
vice-consul
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
a late time of life
From this reading One was the vice-consul; the other, a large man of some fifty years, wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and a broad-brimmed felt hat.
YokohamanounUS /ˌjoʊkəˈhɑːmə/
port city on southeastern Honshu in central Japan
From this reading It was Saturday, nearly two weeks after my arrival in Yokohama, that I saw a chance to escape from Japan.
