used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
abyssnounUS /əˈbɪs/
a bottomless gulf or pit; any unfathomable (or apparently unfathomable) cavity or chasm or void extending below (often used figuratively)
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
bottomlessadjectiveUS /ˈbɑːtəmləs/
extremely deep
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
boughsnounUS /baʊz/
plural of “bough” — any of the larger branches of a tree
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
concentratedadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnsəntreɪtɪd/
gathered together or made less diffuse
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
cypressnounUS /ˈsaɪprəs/
wood of any of various cypress trees especially of the genus Cupressus
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
at any time
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading FACE TO FACE.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
gulfnounUS /ɡʌlf/
an arm of a sea or ocean partly enclosed by land; larger than a bay
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
husband'snounUS /ˈhʌzbəndz/
possessive form of “husband” — a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Come forward, woman, that I may see your face."
icyadjectiveUS /ˈaɪsi/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
louderadjectiveUS /ˈlaʊdər/
comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "Come forward, woman, that I may see your face."
moaningverbUS /ˈmoʊnɪŋ/
-ing form of “moan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
not any; not one
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
a strong feeling or emotion
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
express in words
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "Come forward, woman, that I may see your face."
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
plural of “sens” — street names for marijuana
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
shallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/
lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
not in physical motion
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Come forward, woman, that I may see your face."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading FACE TO FACE.
plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
trenchnounUS /trentʃ/
a ditch dug as a fortification having a parapet of the excavated earth
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "Come forward," she heard her husband's voice say at length, in the hard, icy tones of concentrated passion.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
weirdadjectiveUS /wɪrd/
suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
whirlverbUS /wɜːrl/
turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading For several seconds the husband and wife remained looking at each other in utter silence; the moaning of the cypress boughs sounded louder and more weird; through the whirl of her senses Elizabeth heard it still.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading "Come forward, woman, that I may see your face."
the words that are spoken
From this reading The words seemed to come from a great distance; looking over at him, it seemed as if that shallow trench between them was a bottomless abyss which no power could bridge over,--the gulf between them for ever and ever.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Come forward, woman, that I may see your face."
