used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A few more weeks passed.
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 But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
Annette
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
anxietiesnounUS /æŋˈzaɪətiz/
plural of “anxiety” — (psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
Averil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
Averil's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
beamsnounUS /biːmz/
plural of “beam” — a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
an onerous or difficult concern
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
confidantenounUS /ˈkɑːnfədænt/
a female confidant
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
CONGRATULATEverbUS /kənˈɡrætʃəleɪt/
say something to someone that expresses praise
From this reading "I HEAR THAT WE HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU."
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few more weeks passed.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
HAVEauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "I HEAR THAT WE HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU."
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading "I HEAR THAT WE HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU."
to a considerable degree
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
not accessible to view
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
hoveringverbUS /ˈhʌvərɪŋ/
-ing form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I HEAR THAT WE HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
innateadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈneɪt/
not established by conditioning or learning
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
kneelingnounUS /ˈniːlɪŋ/
supporting yourself on your knees
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
Lottie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
merrilyadverbUS /ˈmerəli/
in a joyous manner
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
the light of the Moon
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A few more weeks passed.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
many times at short intervals
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading A few more weeks passed.
perilousadjectiveUS /ˈperələs/
fraught with danger
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
prayedverbUS /preɪd/
past form of “pray” — address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
compacted by ironing
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
free of extraneous elements of any kind
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
past form of “refuse” — show unwillingness towards
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
relaxverbUS /rɪˈlæks/
become less tense, rest, or take one's ease
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
Rodney
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
sleeper's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
stealingnounUS /ˈstiːlɪŋ/
the act of taking something from someone unlawfully
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I HEAR THAT WE HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I HEAR THAT WE HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU."
travelernounUS /ˈtrævələr/
a person who changes location
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
a source of difficulty
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
unselfishnessnoun
the quality of not putting yourself first but being willing to give your time or money or effort etc. for others
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
unwaryadjectiveUS /ənˈweri/
not alert to danger or deception
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
watchfulnessnoun
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "I HEAR THAT WE HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU."
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading A few more weeks passed.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The summer days flew merrily by for Annette and Lottie; and if, as time went on, Averil's hidden anxieties and secret watchfulness did not relax, and a growing fear pressed more heavily upon her, she made neither of the girls her confidante.
at the time that
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
a Caucasian
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But on those summer nights, when the moonlight was stealing into each sleeper's room, its pure white beams would often fall on one small, kneeling figure; for in those days Averil prayed for Rodney as one would pray for some unwary traveler hovering on the edge of a perilous abyss.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I HEAR THAT WE HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU."
youthfuladjectiveUS /ˈjuːθfəl/
suggestive of youth; vigorous and fresh
From this reading With that innate unselfishness that belonged to her nature, she refused to burden their youthful spirits with the shadow of coming trouble.
