used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Scaffold and the Confession.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
bitingadjectiveUS /ˈbaɪtɪŋ/
capable of wounding
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Snow lies on the ground and on the house-tops, and everything looks pale in the blue moonlight.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
CathedralnounUS /kəˈθiːdrəl/
any large and important church
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
rid of obstructions
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
ConfessionnounUS /kənˈfeʃən/
an admission of misdeeds or faults
From this reading The Scaffold and the Confession.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Snow lies on the ground and on the house-tops, and everything looks pale in the blue moonlight.
FlournounUS /ˈflaʊər/
fine powdery foodstuff obtained by grinding and sifting the meal of a cereal grain
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
depressingly dark
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Snow lies on the ground and on the house-tops, and everything looks pale in the blue moonlight.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
horse-soldiers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
house-tops
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Snow lies on the ground and on the house-tops, and everything looks pale in the blue moonlight.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is night.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is night.
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 A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
From this reading Snow lies on the ground and on the house-tops, and everything looks pale in the blue moonlight.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Snow lies on the ground and on the house-tops, and everything looks pale in the blue moonlight.
the location of something surrounded by other things
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
the light of the Moon
From this reading Snow lies on the ground and on the house-tops, and everything looks pale in the blue moonlight.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It is night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Snow lies on the ground and on the house-tops, and everything looks pale in the blue moonlight.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading Snow lies on the ground and on the house-tops, and everything looks pale in the blue moonlight.
a raised horizontal surface
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
precisely, exactly
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
ScaffoldnounUS /ˈskæfəld/
a platform from which criminals are executed (hanged or beheaded)
From this reading The Scaffold and the Confession.
sinkingnounUS /ˈsɪŋkɪŋ/
a descent as through liquid (especially through water)
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading Snow lies on the ground and on the house-tops, and everything looks pale in the blue moonlight.
make square
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
plural of “stand” — a support or foundation
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading The air is cold and biting; the stars are bright in the clear sky; and the moon is slowly sinking behind the Cathedral of St. Flour.
confined on all sides
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Scaffold and the Confession.
torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/
a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A gloomy platform hung with black cloth and surrounded by horse-soldiers, each with a torch in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right, stands in the midst of the public square.
