used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading Now he raised his head and advanced two steps, and his blazing eyes met those of the other man.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
Anita
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
aperturenounUS /ˈæpərtʃər/
a device that controls amount of light admitted
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
blazingadjectiveUS /ˈbleɪzɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading Now he raised his head and advanced two steps, and his blazing eyes met those of the other man.
bowingnounUS /ˈboʊɪŋ/
bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame or greeting
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
broaderadjectiveUS /ˈbrɔːdər/
comparative of “broad” — having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
bulgingadjectiveUS /ˈbʌldʒɪŋ/
curving or bulging outward
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
caballero's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
crouchingverbUS /ˈkraʊtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
fireplacenounUS /ˈfaɪərpleɪs/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
Fly-by-Nightadjective
(of businesses and businessmen) untrustworthy or undependable
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
a young female
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
possessive form of “girl” — a young female
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
gladnessnoun
experiencing joy and pleasure
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Now he raised his head and advanced two steps, and his blazing eyes met those of the other man.
the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
hiltnounUS /hɪlt/
the handle of a sword or dagger
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
and nothing more
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Now he raised his head and advanced two steps, and his blazing eyes met those of the other man.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading Now he raised his head and advanced two steps, and his blazing eyes met those of the other man.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now he raised his head and advanced two steps, and his blazing eyes met those of the other man.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Now he raised his head and advanced two steps, and his blazing eyes met those of the other man.
poniardnoun
a dagger with a slender blade
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading Now he raised his head and advanced two steps, and his blazing eyes met those of the other man.
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
having a supporting base
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Now he raised his head and advanced two steps, and his blazing eyes met those of the other man.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It seemed to the girl crouching at the end of the fireplace that the caballero’s shoulders grew broader and that he grew in height.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
in or at that place or location
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Now he raised his head and advanced two steps, and his blazing eyes met those of the other man.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
tormentornounUS /ˈtɔːrmentər/
someone who torments
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Now he raised his head and advanced two steps, and his blazing eyes met those of the other man.
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 An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading An aperture had appeared in the wall there, and Captain Fly-by-Night was standing just before it, bowing.
whirledverbUS /wɜːrld/
past form of “whirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading LOVE IN DARKNESS The hand of the girl’s tormentor flew to the hilt of his poniard as he whirled toward the sound.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Anita gave a cry of relief and gladness, and then stared with bulging eyes toward the corner.
