used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading He alone appeared to be awake now.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He alone appeared to be awake now.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading He alone appeared to be awake now.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He alone appeared to be awake now.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
curledadjectiveUS /kɜːrld/
(of hair) making curls or having been made to curl
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
the first light of day
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
at any time
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
flowingnounUS /ˈfloʊɪŋ/
the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
frozenadjectiveUS /ˈfroʊzən/
turned into ice; affected by freezing or by long and severe cold
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
the act of departing
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
greyingverbUS /ˈɡreɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “grey” — make grey
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He alone appeared to be awake now.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
immediately past
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
being perceived or observed
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He alone appeared to be awake now.
numbedverbUS /nʌmd/
past form of “numb” — make numb or insensitive
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
postponedverbUS /poʊstˈpoʊnd/
past form of “postpone” — hold back to a later time
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
in or at that place or location
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He alone appeared to be awake now.
a source of difficulty
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
unstirring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading Philip noticed a vague trouble in the air and then a faint greying of things.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
which person or people
From this reading He was sitting in a chair, and his arms were around Margaret, who was leaning against him, curled across another and lower chair.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For some time he had been sitting there, quiet, unstirring, numbed, but with his thoughts going on and on, like a river flowing through a frozen land.
but in spite of that
From this reading It had seemed as if dawn were postponed for ever, yet it came at last.
