used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
(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 All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Rub away.’
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
the two together, not just one
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
congealedadjectiveUS /kənˈdʒiːld/
congealed into jelly; solidified by cooling
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
dark-complexioned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
comparative of “deeply” — to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
Devil'snounUS /ˈdevəlz/
possessive form of “devil” — (Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
DungeonnounUS /ˈdʌndʒən/
the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
divisible by two
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
opinion or judgment
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
frostnounUS /frɔːst/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
frozenadjectiveUS /ˈfroʊzən/
turned into ice; affected by freezing or by long and severe cold
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
the dressed hairy coat of a mammal
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
instantaneouslyadverbUS /ˌɪnstənˈtæniəsli/
without any delay
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
not any; not one
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
pausingverbUS /ˈpɔːzɪŋ/
-ing form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
past form of “proceed” — continue talking
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
RubverbUS /rʌb/
move over something with pressure
From this reading Rub away.’
rubbingnounUS /ˈrʌbɪŋ/
the resistance encountered when one body is moved in contact with another
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
the place where some action occurs
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
seizingnounUS /ˈsiːzɪŋ/
small stuff that is used for lashing two or more ropes together
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
in the near future
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
spotsnounUS /spɑːts/
spots before the eyes caused by opaque cell fragments in the vitreous humor and lens
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
having a supporting base
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
strikesnounUS /straɪks/
plural of “strike” — a group's refusal to work in protest against low pay or bad work conditions
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
sweepingadjectiveUS /ˈswiːpɪŋ/
taking in or moving over (or as if over) a wide area; often used in combination
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
tippetnounUS /ˈtɪpət/
a woman's fur shoulder cape with hanging ends; often consisting of the whole fur of a fox or marten
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
unwindverbUS /ənˈwaɪnd/
reverse the winding or twisting of
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading All this scene around me was instantaneously taken in at one sweeping glance--even before I had proceeded to unwind the heavy fur tippet from around my neck.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
a Caucasian
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
whitesnounUS /waɪts/
plural of “white” — a Caucasian
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading ‘That may well be,’ muttered I; ‘’tis some wonder the frost of the Devil’s Dungeon strikes in no deeper.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading But as soon as this fell from me the dark-complexioned man, standing close by, raised a sudden cry, and seizing my arm, dragged me out into the open air, and without pausing for a word instantly caught up some congealed snow and began rubbing both my cheeks.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading ‘Two white spots like the whites of your eyes,’ he said; ‘man, your cheeks are frozen.’
