used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
(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 At the sound of my voice all the colour had left Joyce's face.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
BRIDGINGverbUS /ˈbrɪdʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “bridge” — connect or reduce the distance between
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
having or capable of producing colors
From this reading At the sound of my voice all the colour had left Joyce's face.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading At the sound of my voice all the colour had left Joyce's face.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading "My God!" she whispered; "it's you--Neil!"
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading At the sound of my voice all the colour had left Joyce's face.
half-incredulous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "My God!" she whispered; "it's you--Neil!"
Joyce'snounUS /ˈdʒɔɪsɪz/
possessive form of “joyce” — influential Irish writer noted for his many innovations (such as stream of consciousness writing) (1882-1941)
From this reading At the sound of my voice all the colour had left Joyce's face.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
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 At the sound of my voice all the colour had left Joyce's face.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
Neil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "My God!" she whispered; "it's you--Neil!"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
on one occasion
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
SEPARATIONnounUS /ˌsepərˈeɪʃən/
the state of lacking unity
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading At the sound of my voice all the colour had left Joyce's face.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
swayingverbUS /ˈsweɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
a special situation
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
unexpectednessnoun
extraordinariness by virtue of being unexpected
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
the act of using
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading At the sound of my voice all the colour had left Joyce's face.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading "My God!" she whispered; "it's you--Neil!"
a Caucasian
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
wide-openadjective
open wide
From this reading Her hands went up to her breast, and with a low cry she stepped forward and then stood there white and swaying, gazing at me with wide-open, half-incredulous eyes.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With a savage effort I recovered myself almost at once, but it was too late to be of any use.
a late time of life
From this reading BRIDGING THREE YEARS OF SEPARATION It was the unexpectedness of the thing that threw me off my guard.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "My God!" she whispered; "it's you--Neil!"
