used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
in the past
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading BY THE CRESSET'S LIGHT Barbara was alone at Ketel's Parlour.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading BY THE CRESSET'S LIGHT Barbara was alone at Ketel's Parlour.
Barbara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BY THE CRESSET'S LIGHT Barbara was alone at Ketel's Parlour.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Barbara wanted to think, and, in order to think clearly, she must be alone.
becknounUS /bek/
a beckoning gesture
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading BY THE CRESSET'S LIGHT Barbara was alone at Ketel's Parlour.
a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
ceilingnounUS /ˈsiːlɪŋ/
the overhead upper surface of a covered space
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
without doubt or question
From this reading Barbara wanted to think, and, in order to think clearly, she must be alone.
cleftnounUS /kleft/
a split or indentation in something (as the palate or chin)
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
CRESSET'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BY THE CRESSET'S LIGHT Barbara was alone at Ketel's Parlour.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
having escaped, especially from confinement
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
start firing a weapon
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
people in general (often used in the plural)
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
hookverbUS /hʊk/
fasten with a hook
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
Ketel's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BY THE CRESSET'S LIGHT Barbara was alone at Ketel's Parlour.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading BY THE CRESSET'S LIGHT Barbara was alone at Ketel's Parlour.
set afire or burning
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
come together
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Barbara wanted to think, and, in order to think clearly, she must be alone.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading Barbara wanted to think, and, in order to think clearly, she must be alone.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
ParlournounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/
reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received
From this reading BY THE CRESSET'S LIGHT Barbara was alone at Ketel's Parlour.
tending to return to an earlier state
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
slabnounUS /slæb/
block consisting of a thick piece of something
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
slatenounUS /sleɪt/
(formerly) a writing tablet made of slate
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
smouldered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
starlessadjective
not starry; having no stars or starlike objects
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BY THE CRESSET'S LIGHT Barbara was alone at Ketel's Parlour.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Barbara wanted to think, and, in order to think clearly, she must be alone.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Outside was night, starless and black, though the hour was not much later than seven o'clock.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Barbara wanted to think, and, in order to think clearly, she must be alone.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading Barbara wanted to think, and, in order to think clearly, she must be alone.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading BY THE CRESSET'S LIGHT Barbara was alone at Ketel's Parlour.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Not long ago she had heard the village folk returning from the Meet, but they went home by a track on the other side of the beck, and did not come near the cave.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading A lighted lamp hung from a hook in the ceiling, and a fire smouldered on a slab of blue slate, while the smoke escaped through a cleft in the wall.
