having companions or an escort
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
agencynounUS /ˈeɪdʒənsi/
an administrative unit of government
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
any thing at all
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
a youthful male person
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Slowly, silently, inch by inch the portal widened.
Cavanaugh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
creakverbUS /kriːk/
make a high-pitched, screeching noise
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
dashverbUS /dæʃ/
run or move very quickly or hastily
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
doingsnounUS /ˈduːɪŋz/
manner of acting or controlling yourself
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
flattenedadjectiveUS /ˈflætənd/
having been flattened
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
happeningnounUS /ˈhæpənɪŋ/
an event that happens
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
imperceptiblyadverbUS /ˌɪmpərˈseptɪbli/
in an imperceptible manner or to an imperceptible degree
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading Slowly, silently, inch by inch the portal widened.
intolerableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɑːlərəbəl/
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
keyedadjectiveUS /kiːd/
fitted with or secured by a key
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
longedverbUS /lɔːŋd/
past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
nighadjectiveUS /naɪ/
not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
outwardadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtwərd/
relating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
portalnounUS /ˈpɔːrtəl/
a grand and imposing entrance (often extended metaphorically)
From this reading Slowly, silently, inch by inch the portal widened.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
cut with a saw
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
scrapingnounUS /ˈskreɪpɪŋ/
(usually plural) a fragment scraped off of something and collected
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
utter in a loud voice; talk in a loud voice (usually denoting characteristic manner of speaking)
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
without speaking
From this reading Slowly, silently, inch by inch the portal widened.
and nothing more
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Slowly, silently, inch by inch the portal widened.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
stealthyadjectiveUS /ˈstelθi/
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
suspensenounUS /səˈspens/
apprehension about what is going to happen
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
tensionnounUS /ˈtenʃən/
(psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Beyond that first faint scraping sound, not the slightest creak accompanied the stealthy movement.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Slowly, silently, inch by inch the portal widened.
a special situation
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
(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 It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
widenedverbUS /ˈwaɪdənd/
past form of “widen” — become broader or wider or more extensive
From this reading Slowly, silently, inch by inch the portal widened.
wideradjectiveUS /ˈwaɪdər/
comparative of “wide” — having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Cavanaugh, flattened against the house wall, simply saw the black shadow of the door as it swung outward, growing imperceptibly wider against the almost equally dark background behind it.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It was almost as if the thing were happening without human agency; and to the boy, already keyed up by the strange doings of the night, the suspense became well nigh intolerable.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He longed to shout, to dash forward, to run away—to do anything which would end that desperate tension.
