used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Since the early morning the sky had become overcast, and a steady, cold rain was falling outside.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
equally
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
in addition
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
awaked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Since the early morning the sky had become overcast, and a steady, cold rain was falling outside.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
bonenounUS /boʊn/
rigid connective tissue that makes up the skeleton of vertebrates
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
the two together, not just one
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
burntadjectiveUS /bɜːrnt/
ruined by overcooking
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
candlesnounUS /ˈkændəlz/
plural of “candle” — stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
chilledverbUS /tʃɪld/
past form of “chill” — depress or discourage
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
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 Since the early morning the sky had become overcast, and a steady, cold rain was falling outside.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading Since the early morning the sky had become overcast, and a steady, cold rain was falling outside.
one or the other of two
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
opinion or judgment
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading Since the early morning the sky had become overcast, and a steady, cold rain was falling outside.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
LewisnounUS /ˈluːɪs/
United States rock star singer and pianist (born in 1935)
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
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 The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Since the early morning the sky had become overcast, and a steady, cold rain was falling outside.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Since the early morning the sky had become overcast, and a steady, cold rain was falling outside.
overcastnounUS /ˈoʊvərkæst/
the state of the sky when it is covered by clouds
From this reading Since the early morning the sky had become overcast, and a steady, cold rain was falling outside.
pairsnounUS /perz/
plural of “pair” — a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
penetratingadjectiveUS /ˈpenətreɪtɪŋ/
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading Since the early morning the sky had become overcast, and a steady, cold rain was falling outside.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
past form of “rouse” — become active
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
Identical; not different.
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
Skelton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Since the early morning the sky had become overcast, and a steady, cold rain was falling outside.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
sofanounUS /ˈsoʊfə/
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
sombreadjective
lacking brightness or color; dull
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
make square
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
make steady
From this reading Since the early morning the sky had become overcast, and a steady, cold rain was falling outside.
in a strange manner
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The candles had long since burnt out, and the great, square, sombre room was quite dark.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
in the direction of
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
uncomfortableadjectiveUS /ənˈkʌmfərtəbəl/
conducive to or feeling mental discomfort
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
precisely as stated
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
waked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
(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 well on towards twelve o’clock before either Skelton or Lewis awaked.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At the very same instant, Lewis, lying on the sofa, also roused, and both pairs of eyes, so strangely alike, were fixed on each other.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The penetrating damp air chilled Skelton to the bone, and he waked with an uncomfortable start.
