used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
AboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Above all, he felt a new loneliness, and he knew that now Clara felt it, too.
(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 Above all, he felt a new loneliness, and he knew that now Clara felt it, too.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Bill felt conspicuous and vulnerable in the gloaming light.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
backwaternounUS /ˈbækwɔːtər/
a body of water that was created by a flood or tide or by being held or forced back by a dam
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They were not taking their drugs as prescribed, and for that they would be horribly punished.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading Bill felt conspicuous and vulnerable in the gloaming light.
bleachedadjectiveUS /bliːtʃt/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
Clara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Above all, he felt a new loneliness, and he knew that now Clara felt it, too.
conspicuousadjectiveUS /kənˈspɪkjuːəs/
obvious to the eye or mind
From this reading Bill felt conspicuous and vulnerable in the gloaming light.
desperationnounUS /ˌdespərˈeɪʃən/
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
drugsnounUS /drʌɡz/
plural of “drug” — a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic
From this reading They were not taking their drugs as prescribed, and for that they would be horribly punished.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
eddying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Bill felt conspicuous and vulnerable in the gloaming light.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They were not taking their drugs as prescribed, and for that they would be horribly punished.
gloamingnounUS /ˈɡloʊmɪŋ/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading Bill felt conspicuous and vulnerable in the gloaming light.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Above all, he felt a new loneliness, and he knew that now Clara felt it, too.
horriblyadverbUS /ˈhɔːrəbli/
of a dreadful kind
From this reading They were not taking their drugs as prescribed, and for that they would be horribly punished.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Above all, he felt a new loneliness, and he knew that now Clara felt it, too.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Above all, he felt a new loneliness, and he knew that now Clara felt it, too.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Bill felt conspicuous and vulnerable in the gloaming light.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
lonelinessnounUS /ˈloʊnlinəs/
the state of being alone in solitary isolation
From this reading Above all, he felt a new loneliness, and he knew that now Clara felt it, too.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Above all, he felt a new loneliness, and he knew that now Clara felt it, too.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were not taking their drugs as prescribed, and for that they would be horribly punished.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Above all, he felt a new loneliness, and he knew that now Clara felt it, too.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
a large area of land preserved in its natural state as public property
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
prescribedadjectiveUS /priˈskraɪbd/
set down as a rule or guide
From this reading They were not taking their drugs as prescribed, and for that they would be horribly punished.
punishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌnɪʃt/
subjected to a penalty (as pain or shame or restraint or loss) for an offense or fault or in order to coerce some behavior (as a confession or obedience)
From this reading They were not taking their drugs as prescribed, and for that they would be horribly punished.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
move hurridly
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading They were not taking their drugs as prescribed, and for that they would be horribly punished.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Above all, he felt a new loneliness, and he knew that now Clara felt it, too.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Above all, he felt a new loneliness, and he knew that now Clara felt it, too.
vulnerableadjectiveUS /ˈvʌlnərəbəl/
susceptible to attack
From this reading Bill felt conspicuous and vulnerable in the gloaming light.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The park was like a quiet backwater in the eddying rush of the evening city.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were not taking their drugs as prescribed, and for that they would be horribly punished.
a Caucasian
From this reading They needed each other as each had been, before fear had bleached their feeling to white bones of desperation.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They were not taking their drugs as prescribed, and for that they would be horribly punished.
