adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
accountnounUS /əˈkaʊnt/
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
actionnounUS /ˈækʃən/
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
againadverbUS /əˈɡen/
anew
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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 The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
announceverbUS /əˈnaʊns/
make known; make an announcement
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
appearverbUS /əˈpɪr/
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
appointmentnounUS /əˈpɔɪntmənt/
the act of putting a person into a non-elective position
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
apprehensionnounUS /ˌæprɪˈhenʃən/
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
archnounUS /ɑːrtʃ/
a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an opening
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
blackadjectiveUS /blæk/
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
CastlenounUS /ˈkæsəl/
a large and stately mansion
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
caughtverbUS /kɑːt/
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
characternounUS /ˈkerɪktər/
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading The longer I considered his character the more dubious I grew.
consideredadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪdərd/
carefully weighed
From this reading The longer I considered his character the more dubious I grew.
contributedverbUS /kənˈtrɪbjuːtɪd/
past form of “contribute” — bestow a quality on
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
coolernounUS /ˈkuːlər/
a refrigerator for cooling liquids
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
coweringverbUS /ˈkaʊərɪŋ/
-ing form of “cower” — crouch or curl up
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
debatedverbUS /dəˈbeɪtɪd/
past form of “debate” — argue with one another
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
diminishedadjectiveUS /dɪˈmɪnɪʃt/
impaired by diminution
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
doornounUS /dɔːr/
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
dubiousadjectiveUS /ˈduːbiəs/
fraught with uncertainty or doubt
From this reading The longer I considered his character the more dubious I grew.
ebbverbUS /eb/
flow back or recede
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
elationnounUS /ɪˈleɪʃən/
an exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism; an absence of depression
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
energynounUS /ˈenərdʒi/
(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
escapenounUS /ɪˈskeɪp/
the act of escaping physically
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
finaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/
occurring at or forming an end or termination
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
fitsnounUS /fɪts/
plural of “fit” — a display of bad temper
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
footnounUS /fʊt/
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
footstepsnounUS /ˈfʊtsteps/
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
frontnounUS /frʌnt/
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
giveverbUS /ɡɪv/
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
glimmernounUS /ˈɡlɪmər/
a flash of light (especially reflected light)
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
gloomyadjectiveUS /ˈɡluːmi/
depressingly dark
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
grewverbUS /ɡruː/
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading The longer I considered his character the more dubious I grew.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
hournounUS /ˈaʊər/
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
increasenounUS /ˌɪnˈkriːs/
a quantity that is added
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
keepverbUS /kiːp/
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
kingnounUS /kɪŋ/
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
lastadjectiveUS /læst/
immediately past
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
layverbUS /leɪ/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
lonelinessnounUS /ˈloʊnlinəs/
the state of being alone in solitary isolation
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/
for more time
From this reading The longer I considered his character the more dubious I grew.
lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
Majesty'snounUS /ˈmædʒəstiz/
possessive form of “majesty” — impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
marredadjectiveUS /mɑːrd/
blemished by injury or rough wear
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The longer I considered his character the more dubious I grew.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
northnounUS /nɔːrθ/
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
particularadjectiveUS /pərˈtɪkjələr/
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
plansnounUS /plænz/
plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
posternnoun
a small gate in the rear of a fort or castle
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
presentedverbUS /priˈzentɪd/
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/
with speed
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
reflectionnounUS /rɪˈflekʃən/
a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
reliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
resolutionnounUS /ˌrezəˈluːʃən/
a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
sendverbUS /send/
cause to go somewhere
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
shelternounUS /ˈʃeltər/
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
sidenounUS /saɪd/
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
situationnounUS /ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃən/
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
soundnounUS /saʊnd/
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
staircasenounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
standingadjectiveUS /ˈstændɪŋ/
having a supporting base
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
stonenounUS /stoʊn/
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
streaknounUS /striːk/
an unbroken series of events
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
sustainverbUS /səˈsteɪn/
lengthen or extend in duration or space
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
townnounUS /taʊn/
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
treacherousadjectiveUS /ˈtretʃərəs/
dangerously unstable and unpredictable
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
unbrokenadjectiveUS /ənˈbroʊkən/
marked by continuous or uninterrupted extension in space or time or sequence
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
uneasinessnounUS /ˌʌˈniːzinəs/
feelings of anxiety that make you tense and irritable
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
unusualadjectiveUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəl/
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The loneliness of the situation, the darkness, the black front, unbroken by any glimmer of light, which the Castle presented on this side, and the unusual and gloomy stillness which lay upon the town, all contributed to increase my uneasiness.
vacillationnounUS /ˌvæsəˈleɪʃən/
indecision in speech or action
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
waitedverbUS /ˈweɪtɪd/
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
welladverbUS /wel/
(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 It was with apprehension as well as relief that I caught at last the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase, and, standing a little to one side, saw a streak of light appear at the foot of the door.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
windnounUS /waɪnd/
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The elation with which I had heard the king announce his resolution quickly diminished on cooler reflection.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It stood in particular at a very low ebb as I waited, an hour later, at the little north postern of the Castle, and, cowering within the shelter of the arch to escape the wind, debated whether his Majesty’s energy would sustain him to the point of action, or whether he might not, in one of those fits of treacherous vacillation which had again and again marred his plans, send those to keep the appointment who would give a final account of me.
