used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
(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 Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading His head was throbbing painfully, and he was lying on his bound arms and wrists.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
basementnounUS /ˈbeɪsmənt/
the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
Boucicault's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
confined by bonds
From this reading His head was throbbing painfully, and he was lying on his bound arms and wrists.
cellarnounUS /ˈselər/
the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading THE DEATH CHAMBER.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
dankadjectiveUS /dæŋk/
unpleasantly cool and humid
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Nick opened his eyes in darkness.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading THE DEATH CHAMBER.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Nick opened his eyes in darkness.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
death of a person
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading His head was throbbing painfully, and he was lying on his bound arms and wrists.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Nick opened his eyes in darkness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Nick opened his eyes in darkness.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading His head was throbbing painfully, and he was lying on his bound arms and wrists.
moldyadjectiveUS /ˈmoʊldi/
covered with or smelling of mold
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
NickverbUS /nɪk/
cut slightly, with a razor
From this reading Nick opened his eyes in darkness.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading His head was throbbing painfully, and he was lying on his bound arms and wrists.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Nick opened his eyes in darkness.
painfullyadverbUS /ˈpeɪnfəli/
unpleasantly
From this reading His head was throbbing painfully, and he was lying on his bound arms and wrists.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
presumablyadverbUS /prəˈzuːməbli/
by reasonable assumption
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
raynounUS /reɪ/
a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
reignedverbUS /reɪnd/
past form of “reign” — have sovereign power
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading Not a ray of light could be seen at any point in the surrounding gloom, and a silence as of the grave reigned all around.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DEATH CHAMBER.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
throbbingnounUS /ˈθrɑːbɪŋ/
an instance of rapid strong pulsation (of the heart)
From this reading His head was throbbing painfully, and he was lying on his bound arms and wrists.
UnderprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Under him was a hard stone floor, and from the dank, moldy smell of the place he thought he must be in a cellar--presumably the basement under Boucicault’s.
wristsnounUS /rɪsts/
plural of “wrist” — a joint between the distal end of the radius and the proximal row of carpal bones
From this reading His head was throbbing painfully, and he was lying on his bound arms and wrists.
