used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
advancingadjectiveUS /ədˈvænsɪŋ/
moving forward
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/
possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
terminate
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was not conscious that he was unhappy, but he knew that he was fighting with the hours.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
CartiernounUS /ˈkɑːrtiər/
French explorer who explored the St. Lawrence river and laid claim to the region for France (1491-1557)
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
a young person of either sex
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
intentionally conceived
From this reading He was not conscious that he was unhappy, but he knew that he was fighting with the hours.
an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
provide with a covering or cause to be covered
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
extraordinarilyadverbUS /ekˌstrɔːrdəˈnerəli/
extremely
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
opinion or judgment
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
From this reading He was not conscious that he was unhappy, but he knew that he was fighting with the hours.
floweringnounUS /ˈflaʊərɪŋ/
the time and process of budding and unfolding of blossoms
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
flutterverbUS /ˈflʌtər/
move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
formationnounUS /fɔːrˈmeɪʃən/
an arrangement of people or things acting as a unit
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
formidableadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmədəbəl/
extremely impressive in strength or excellence
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
gaietynoun
a gay feeling
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
a young female
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was not conscious that he was unhappy, but he knew that he was fighting with the hours.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading He was not conscious that he was unhappy, but he knew that he was fighting with the hours.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
insistentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstənt/
repetitive and persistent
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
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 He was not conscious that he was unhappy, but he knew that he was fighting with the hours.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
lilacnounUS /ˈlaɪlæk/
any of various plants of the genus Syringa having large panicles of usually fragrant flowers
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
LuxembourgnounUS /ˈlʌksəmbɔːrɡ/
the capital and largest city of Luxembourg
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
the message that is intended or expressed or signified
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
monotonynounUS /məˈnɑːtəni/
the quality of wearisome constancy, routine, and lack of variety
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
new-born
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
not any; not one
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He was not conscious that he was unhappy, but he knew that he was fighting with the hours.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
ominousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːmənəs/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
orderlynounUS /ˈɔːrdərli/
a soldier who serves as an attendant to a superior officer
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
plumeverbUS /pluːm/
rip off; ask an unreasonable price
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
retreatingverbUS /riˈtriːtɪŋ/
-ing form of “retreat” — pull back or move away or backward
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
scentnounUS /sɛnt/
A distinctive smell or aroma.
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
act as a barrier between; stand between
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
signalsnounUS /ˈsɪɡnəlz/
plural of “signal” — any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
the season of growth
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
stabverbUS /stæb/
use a knife on
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was not conscious that he was unhappy, but he knew that he was fighting with the hours.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading A girl with a lilac plume in her hand, the flutter of the new-born leaves in the garden of the Luxembourg, the gaiety in the eyes of a child--these things Jean had never known before, but he knew them now--they were the signals of his retreating joy.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent
From this reading He was not conscious that he was unhappy, but he knew that he was fighting with the hours.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
varyverbUS /ˈveri/
become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was not conscious that he was unhappy, but he knew that he was fighting with the hours.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE days had no separate meaning to Jean; they came upon him with the orderly formation of advancing waves, line upon line, they hung above his little island of consciousness, ominous, cold and dark, to break and cover him under bitter waters.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They were formidable and long and quite extraordinarily empty; now and then, indeed, to vary their insistent monotony, he would feel a sharp stab at the sight or scent of the flowering spring.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading Cartier watched him anxiously; the look of youth had wholly passed from the boy’s face; it was grey and old, without expression.
