used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading Thus she saw a background of shadows and some twinkling points of light, like a night sky.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading They were in a very large bedroom, heavy with old furniture.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Then she stepped out from behind Philip and cleared her eyes.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
circlingverbUS /ˈsɜːrkəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “circle” — travel around something
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
rid of objects or obstructions such as e.g. trees and brush
From this reading Then she stepped out from behind Philip and cleared her eyes.
conjuredverbUS /ˈkɑːndʒərd/
past form of “conjure” — summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Then she stepped out from behind Philip and cleared her eyes.
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading They were in a very large bedroom, heavy with old furniture.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading They were in a very large bedroom, heavy with old furniture.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Then she stepped out from behind Philip and cleared her eyes.
illuminatedadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈluːməneɪtəd/
provided with artificial light
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading Once inside the room, Margaret peeped round Philip’s shoulder.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Thus she saw a background of shadows and some twinkling points of light, like a night sky.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once inside the room, Margaret peeped round Philip’s shoulder.
and nothing more
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Thus she saw a background of shadows and some twinkling points of light, like a night sky.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
on one occasion
From this reading Once inside the room, Margaret peeped round Philip’s shoulder.
and nothing more
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Then she stepped out from behind Philip and cleared her eyes.
peepedverbUS /piːpt/
past form of “peep” — look furtively
From this reading Once inside the room, Margaret peeped round Philip’s shoulder.
Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading Then she stepped out from behind Philip and cleared her eyes.
Philip'snounUS /ˈfɪləps/
possessive form of “philip” — Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading Once inside the room, Margaret peeped round Philip’s shoulder.
plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Thus she saw a background of shadows and some twinkling points of light, like a night sky.
polishedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːlɪʃt/
perfected or made shiny and smooth
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
reflectionsnounUS /rɪˈflekʃənz/
plural of “reflection” — a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
possessing material wealth
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Once inside the room, Margaret peeped round Philip’s shoulder.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Once inside the room, Margaret peeped round Philip’s shoulder.
cut with a saw
From this reading Thus she saw a background of shadows and some twinkling points of light, like a night sky.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading Thus she saw a background of shadows and some twinkling points of light, like a night sky.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Thus she saw a background of shadows and some twinkling points of light, like a night sky.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading Once inside the room, Margaret peeped round Philip’s shoulder.
and nothing more
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Thus she saw a background of shadows and some twinkling points of light, like a night sky.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Thus she saw a background of shadows and some twinkling points of light, like a night sky.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Then she stepped out from behind Philip and cleared her eyes.
surfacesnounUS /ˈsɜːrfəsəz/
plural of “surface” — the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Once inside the room, Margaret peeped round Philip’s shoulder.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
in or at that place or location
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were in a very large bedroom, heavy with old furniture.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Thus she saw a background of shadows and some twinkling points of light, like a night sky.
very small
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
twinklingnounUS /ˈtwɪŋkəlɪŋ/
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading Thus she saw a background of shadows and some twinkling points of light, like a night sky.
unseenadjectiveUS /ənˈsiːn/
not seen or perceived
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
precisely as stated
From this reading They were in a very large bedroom, heavy with old furniture.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
waveredverbUS /ˈweɪvərd/
past form of “waver” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were in a very large bedroom, heavy with old furniture.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a large room and Margaret had a vague impression that it was full of lovely old things; but their candle, the only light there, merely illuminated a tiny space and then simply conjured the rest of the room, the circling darkness, into rich dusk, in which there wavered and shone, from unseen polished surfaces, little reflections of its flame.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They were in a very large bedroom, heavy with old furniture.
