used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
in a state of sleep
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
assignedadjectiveUS /əˈsaɪnd/
appointed to a post or duty
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/
aroused or activated
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
bowernounUS /ˈbaʊər/
a framework that supports climbing plants
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading For a moment the girl thought that she must be dreaming, and quickly clasped her right hand over the left.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
determineverbUS /dəˈtɜːrmən/
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
downyadjectiveUS /ˈdaʊni/
like down or as soft as down
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
dreamingnounUS /ˈdriːmɪŋ/
imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake
From this reading For a moment the girl thought that she must be dreaming, and quickly clasped her right hand over the left.
Egwina
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
Ethelfleda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
feel or handle with the fingers
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment the girl thought that she must be dreaming, and quickly clasped her right hand over the left.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
in a gradual manner
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
a young female
From this reading For a moment the girl thought that she must be dreaming, and quickly clasped her right hand over the left.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
feeling or showing gratitude
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading For a moment the girl thought that she must be dreaming, and quickly clasped her right hand over the left.
an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment the girl thought that she must be dreaming, and quickly clasped her right hand over the left.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading For a moment the girl thought that she must be dreaming, and quickly clasped her right hand over the left.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
and nothing more
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading For a moment the girl thought that she must be dreaming, and quickly clasped her right hand over the left.
with speed
From this reading For a moment the girl thought that she must be dreaming, and quickly clasped her right hand over the left.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
precisely, exactly
From this reading For a moment the girl thought that she must be dreaming, and quickly clasped her right hand over the left.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
sapphireadjectiveUS /ˈsæfaɪər/
of something having the color of a blue sapphire
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
with low volume
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
in the near future
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
soughingadjective
characterized by soft sounds
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
not in physical motion
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading For a moment the girl thought that she must be dreaming, and quickly clasped her right hand over the left.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
hard to endure
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
at the time that
From this reading It seemed to her that she had slept but a short time when something awakened her.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
which person or people
From this reading Soft and downy was the bed in the bower chamber to which Egwina had been assigned, and grateful was it to the weary maiden, who was soon fast asleep.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading She lay quite still trying to determine what it could be, and hearing only the soughing of the wind.
withdrawnadjectiveUS /wɪθˈdrɔːn/
withdrawn from society; seeking solitude
From this reading Suddenly, she felt her hand taken softly, and the sapphire ring which Ethelfleda had given her was gently withdrawn from her finger.
