used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/
feeling or showing anger
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The motor-car retreated somewhere at her touch, but returned in a few seconds to make a fresh onslaught.
awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/
aroused or activated
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The motor-car retreated somewhere at her touch, but returned in a few seconds to make a fresh onslaught.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
Claudia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
conceived of or imagined or hoped for
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
dreamlikeadjectiveUS /ˈdriːmlaɪk/
resembling a dream
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Exasperated puffings sounded in her ear.
ExasperatedadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzæspəreɪtɪd/
greatly annoyed; out of patience
From this reading Exasperated puffings sounded in her ear.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The motor-car retreated somewhere at her touch, but returned in a few seconds to make a fresh onslaught.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading The motor-car retreated somewhere at her touch, but returned in a few seconds to make a fresh onslaught.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Exasperated puffings sounded in her ear.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Exasperated puffings sounded in her ear.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
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 For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
engage in
From this reading The motor-car retreated somewhere at her touch, but returned in a few seconds to make a fresh onslaught.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
motor-car
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
onslaughtnounUS /ˈɔːnslɔːt/
a sudden and severe onset of trouble
From this reading The motor-car retreated somewhere at her touch, but returned in a few seconds to make a fresh onslaught.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
puffings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Exasperated puffings sounded in her ear.
a person who is being chased
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
pushverbUS /pʊʃ/
move with force
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
retreatednounUS /riˈtriːtəd/
people who have retreated
From this reading The motor-car retreated somewhere at her touch, but returned in a few seconds to make a fresh onslaught.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading The motor-car retreated somewhere at her touch, but returned in a few seconds to make a fresh onslaught.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
Identical; not different.
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading The motor-car retreated somewhere at her touch, but returned in a few seconds to make a fresh onslaught.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
snortings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
snufflings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
in or at or to some place
From this reading The motor-car retreated somewhere at her touch, but returned in a few seconds to make a fresh onslaught.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading Exasperated puffings sounded in her ear.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading The motor-car retreated somewhere at her touch, but returned in a few seconds to make a fresh onslaught.
TOYnounUS /tɔɪ/
an artifact designed to be played with
From this reading A TOY MOTHER Later the same day Claudia awakened to the sound of snortings and snufflings.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading It came nearer and nearer—now it was quite close—she put out her hand in vague dreamlike fashion to push it away.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For an instant she dreamed that she was being pursued down a long road by an angry motor-car bent on her destruction.
