used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading A few potatoes on one broken dish, and a little meat on another, were the only things like food.
past form of “approach” — move towards
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
earlier than; in front of
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
in a close relation or position in time or space
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
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 Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
confinedadjectiveUS /kənˈfaɪnd/
not invading healthy tissue
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
cookingnounUS /ˈkʊkɪŋ/
the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
corpsenounUS /kɔːrps/
the dead body of a human being
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
absence of light or illumination
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
dishnounUS /dɪʃ/
a piece of dishware normally used as a container for holding or serving food
From this reading A few potatoes on one broken dish, and a little meat on another, were the only things like food.
dissipatedadjectiveUS /ˈdɪsəpeɪtɪd/
unrestrained by convention or morality
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/
(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading A few potatoes on one broken dish, and a little meat on another, were the only things like food.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
habituated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
hearthnounUS /hɑːrθ/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
interioradjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɪriər/
situated within or suitable for inside a building
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A few potatoes on one broken dish, and a little meat on another, were the only things like food.
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 It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food
From this reading A few potatoes on one broken dish, and a little meat on another, were the only things like food.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
very unhappy; full of misery
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A few potatoes on one broken dish, and a little meat on another, were the only things like food.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A few potatoes on one broken dish, and a little meat on another, were the only things like food.
and nothing more
From this reading A few potatoes on one broken dish, and a little meat on another, were the only things like food.
outstretchedadjectiveUS /aʊtˈstretʃt/
fully extended especially in length
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
detected by instinct or inference rather than by recognized perceptual cues
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
plankverbUS /plæŋk/
cover with planks
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
potatoesnounUS /pəˈteɪtoʊz/
plural of “potato” — an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland
From this reading A few potatoes on one broken dish, and a little meat on another, were the only things like food.
the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
resemblingverbUS /rɪˈzembəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “resemble” — appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
rubbishnounUS /ˈrʌbɪʃ/
worthless material that is to be disposed of
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
saucernounUS /ˈsɔːsər/
something with a round shape resembling a flat circular plate
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
cut with a saw
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
sightsnounUS /saɪts/
an optical instrument for aiding the eye in aiming, as on a firearm or surveying instrument
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
stiffenedverbUS /ˈstɪfənd/
past form of “stiffen” — become stiff or stiffer
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
supportedadjectiveUS /səˈpɔːrtɪd/
sustained or maintained by aid (as distinct from physical support)
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
in or at that place or location
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading A few potatoes on one broken dish, and a little meat on another, were the only things like food.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
up to a particular time
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
tottered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
in the direction of
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
uprightadjectiveUS /əˈpraɪt/
in a vertical position; not sloping
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
under normal conditions
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
utensilsnounUS /juːˈtensəlz/
plural of “utensil” — an implement for practical use (especially in a household)
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Not a chair nor table was there; a few broken utensils for cooking, such as are usually thrown away as useless among rubbish, stood upon the cold hearth.
(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 When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A few potatoes on one broken dish, and a little meat on another, were the only things like food.
at the time that
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
in the company of; together with
From this reading Towards this the old woman now tottered with slow steps, and, setting the small piece of candle upright in a saucer, she approached the bed.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading It was not for some minutes that I perceived in the corner a miserable bed of straw confined within a plank, supported by two rough stones; nor was it till I had looked long and closely that I saw that the figure of a man lay extended on the bed, his stiffened and outstretched limbs resembling those of a corpse.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
a late time of life
From this reading When the light of the candle which the old woman carried had somewhat dissipated the darkness, I could see the whole interior of the room; and certainly, well habituated as I had been from my earliest years to such sights, poverty like this I never had seen before!
