used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
alcovenounUS /ˈælkoʊv/
a small recess opening off a larger room
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
on or to one side
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
doorwaysnounUS /ˈdɔːrweɪz/
plural of “doorway” — the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
draughtnounUS /dræft/
a serving of drink (usually alcoholic) drawn from a keg
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
one or the other of two
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
fencedverbUS /fenst/
past form of “fence” — enclose with a fence
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
FIRE-BELL
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRE-BELL.
flickeredverbUS /ˈflɪkərd/
past form of “flicker” — move back and forth very rapidly
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
Hardenow's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
jerkingnounUS /ˈdʒɜːrkɪŋ/
an abrupt spasmodic movement
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
lengthyadjectiveUS /ˈleŋθi/
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
not any; not one
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
and nothing more
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
orthodoxadjectiveUS /ˈɔːrθədɑːks/
of or pertaining to or characteristic of Judaism
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
puddlesnounUS /ˈpʌdəlz/
plural of “puddle” — a mixture of wet clay and sand that can be used to line a pond and that is impervious to water when dry
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
done under pressure
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
sashesnounUS /ˈsæʃɪz/
plural of “sash” — a framework that holds the panes of a window in the window frame
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
act as a barrier between; stand between
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
sillsnounUS /sɪlz/
United States operatic soprano (born in 1929)
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
skirtsnounUS /skɜːrts/
plural of “skirt” — cloth covering that forms the part of a garment below the waist
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
put, fix, force, or implant
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Such a draught of air rushed down the passage that Hardenow's lengthy skirts flickered out, in the orthodox fashion, behind him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FIRE-BELL.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading He put this aside with his stick; and two doorways, leading into separate rooms, but with no doors in them, faced him.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
at the time that
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
a Caucasian
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading The doors of the rooms on either side were not only open but fastened back; the sashes of the windows were all thrown up; and the rain, which had followed when the east wind fell, had entered and made puddles on the sills inside.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At the end of this passage he came to a small alcove, fenced off with a loose white curtain, shaking and jerking itself in the wind.
