used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
(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 But at night all was different.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The irradiance, almost as strong as daylight, but radically different, softened all surrounding objects.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
artisticadjectiveUS /ɑːrˈtɪstɪk/
relating to or characteristic of art or artists
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The irradiance, almost as strong as daylight, but radically different, softened all surrounding objects.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But at night all was different.
blazingadjectiveUS /ˈbleɪzɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But at night all was different.
candlesnounUS /ˈkændəlz/
plural of “candle” — stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
cheapadjectiveUS /tʃiːp/
relatively low in price or charging low prices
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
costlyadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːstli/
entailing great loss or sacrifice
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
coveringnounUS /ˈkʌvərɪŋ/
a natural object that covers or envelops
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
crudeadjectiveUS /kruːd/
not carefully or expertly made
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading The irradiance, almost as strong as daylight, but radically different, softened all surrounding objects.
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading But at night all was different.
downyadjectiveUS /ˈdaʊni/
like down or as soft as down
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
remove the dust from
From this reading The prairie dust, penetrating with the wind, spread itself everywhere.
EncirclingadjectiveUS /enˈsɜːrkəlɪŋ/
being all around the edges; enclosing
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
to or in any or all places
From this reading The prairie dust, penetrating with the wind, spread itself everywhere.
fathersnounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
plural of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
glasswarenounUS /ˈɡlæswer/
an article of tableware made of glass
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
gleamingnounUS /ˈɡliːmɪŋ/
a flash of light (especially reflected light)
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
home-made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
imitationnounUS /ˌɪməˈteɪʃən/
the doctrine that representations of nature or human behavior should be accurate imitations
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
irradiance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The irradiance, almost as strong as daylight, but radically different, softened all surrounding objects.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The prairie dust, penetrating with the wind, spread itself everywhere.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
engage in
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
multitudenounUS /ˈmʌltətuːd/
a large indefinite number
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading But at night all was different.
plural of “object” — a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading The irradiance, almost as strong as daylight, but radically different, softened all surrounding objects.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
penetratingadjectiveUS /ˈpenətreɪtɪŋ/
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading The prairie dust, penetrating with the wind, spread itself everywhere.
plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
polishedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːlɪʃt/
perfected or made shiny and smooth
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
radicallyadverbUS /ˈrædɪkli/
in a radical manner
From this reading The irradiance, almost as strong as daylight, but radically different, softened all surrounding objects.
a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
sawdustnounUS /ˈsɔːdʌst/
fine particles of wood made by sawing wood
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The reflection from cheap glassware, carefully polished, made it appear of costly make; the sawdust of the floor seemed a downy covering; the crude heavy chairs, an imitation of the artistic furniture of our fathers.
softenedadjectiveUS /ˈsɔːfənd/
toned down
From this reading The irradiance, almost as strong as daylight, but radically different, softened all surrounding objects.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading The prairie dust, penetrating with the wind, spread itself everywhere.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading The irradiance, almost as strong as daylight, but radically different, softened all surrounding objects.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading The irradiance, almost as strong as daylight, but radically different, softened all surrounding objects.
tallownounUS /ˈtæloʊ/
obtained from suet and used in making soap, candles and lubricants
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But at night all was different.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The prairie dust, penetrating with the wind, spread itself everywhere.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Encircling the room with gleaming points of light were a multitude of blazing candles, home-made from tallow of prairie cattle.
