Chapter XVIII

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

from one side of something to the other

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading These outlines grew distincter as he watched.

relevant relation or interconnection

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

make overcast or cloudy

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was like the slow development of a photographic plate in the dark-room.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining

From this reading It was like the slow development of a photographic plate in the dark-room.

(of solid matter) reduced to a liquid form

From this reading The stars dissolved.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading These outlines grew distincter as he watched.

the boundary of a surface

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading These outlines grew distincter as he watched.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading These outlines grew distincter as he watched.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading It was like the slow development of a photographic plate in the dark-room.

in a dim indistinct manner

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was like the slow development of a photographic plate in the dark-room.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading It was like the slow development of a photographic plate in the dark-room.

move something or somebody to a lower position

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

mentally sluggish

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

the hard durable wood of any oak; used especially for furniture and flooring

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

(of a leaf shape) having a somewhat elongated form with approximately parallel sides

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

plural of “outline” — the line that appears to bound an object

From this reading These outlines grew distincter as he watched.

relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

very light colored; highly diluted with white

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

relating to photography or obtained by using photography

From this reading It was like the slow development of a photographic plate in the dark-room.

a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

(baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score

From this reading It was like the slow development of a photographic plate in the dark-room.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading It was like the slow development of a photographic plate in the dark-room.

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

not in physical motion

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

an unbroken series of events

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading These outlines grew distincter as he watched.

decoration consisting of an open pattern of interlacing ribs

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

allowing light to pass through diffusely

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.

not provided with curtains

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

precisely as stated

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was like the slow development of a photographic plate in the dark-room.

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading These outlines grew distincter as he watched.

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading The uncurtained windows showed the night outside, a darkness that became translucent, a streak of very black cloud and five pale stars.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Across the lower edge of that oblong picture one could see indistinctly a tracery of tree branches and the lumpish head of a young oak still bearing its leaves, the trees along the first hedge.