used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Great protecting arms were stretched above him.
acheverbUS /eɪk/
feel physical pain
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Great protecting arms were stretched above him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The light was broken by soft shadows, as of gently fluttering leaves.
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading These assumed the shapes of limbs of a terebinth-tree.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
brightnessnounUS /ˈbraɪtnəs/
the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading The light was broken by soft shadows, as of gently fluttering leaves.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The light was broken by soft shadows, as of gently fluttering leaves.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
put up with something or somebody unpleasant
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
eyeballsnounUS /ˈaɪbɔːlz/
plural of “eyeball” — the ball-shaped capsule containing the vertebrate eye
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
flutteringnounUS /ˈflʌtərɪŋ/
the motion made by flapping up and down
From this reading The light was broken by soft shadows, as of gently fluttering leaves.
in a gradual manner
From this reading The light was broken by soft shadows, as of gently fluttering leaves.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Great protecting arms were stretched above him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Great protecting arms were stretched above him.
Hiram
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The light was broken by soft shadows, as of gently fluttering leaves.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading These assumed the shapes of limbs of a terebinth-tree.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
netheradjectiveUS /ˈneðər/
lower
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
pleasingadjectiveUS /ˈpliːzɪŋ/
giving pleasure and satisfaction
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
precipitatedverbUS /prɪˈsɪpɪteɪtɪd/
past form of “precipitate” — bring about abruptly
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
protectingadjectiveUS /prəˈtektɪŋ/
shielding (or designed to shield) against harm or discomfort
From this reading Great protecting arms were stretched above him.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading The light was broken by soft shadows, as of gently fluttering leaves.
shapesnounUS /ʃeɪps/
plural of “shape” — any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading These assumed the shapes of limbs of a terebinth-tree.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The light was broken by soft shadows, as of gently fluttering leaves.
soothedverbUS /suːðd/
past form of “soothe” — give moral or emotional strength to
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading Great protecting arms were stretched above him.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
terebinth-tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These assumed the shapes of limbs of a terebinth-tree.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These assumed the shapes of limbs of a terebinth-tree.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The brightness made his eyeballs ache; the shadows soothed them, so that he could endure to look.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The light was broken by soft shadows, as of gently fluttering leaves.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Great protecting arms were stretched above him.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading A pleasing light shone through the darkness of that nether world into which Hiram had been so suddenly precipitated.
