used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
anew
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
avengingverbUS /əˈvendʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “avenge” — take revenge for a perceived wrong
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Something which wasn't of the earth we knew had caught us in its toils.
cheerilyadverb
in a cheerful manner
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading For a couple of hours or more we had lived in the grip of a fatal and powerful curse.
creepyadjectiveUS /ˈkriːpi/
annoying and unpleasant
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading For a couple of hours or more we had lived in the grip of a fatal and powerful curse.
dizzyingverbUS /ˈdɪziɪŋ/
-ing form of “dizzy” — make dizzy or giddy
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading Something which wasn't of the earth we knew had caught us in its toils.
emphasisnounUS /ˈemfəsəs/
special importance or significance
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
fataladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtəl/
bringing death
From this reading For a couple of hours or more we had lived in the grip of a fatal and powerful curse.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
make full, also in a metaphorical sense
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
a mental representation of some haunting experience
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
gripnounUS /ɡrɪp/
the act of grasping
From this reading For a couple of hours or more we had lived in the grip of a fatal and powerful curse.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading For a couple of hours or more we had lived in the grip of a fatal and powerful curse.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For a couple of hours or more we had lived in the grip of a fatal and powerful curse.
influencesnounUS /ˈɪnfluːənsɪz/
plural of “influence” — a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Something which wasn't of the earth we knew had caught us in its toils.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Something which wasn't of the earth we knew had caught us in its toils.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
held up in the air
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
set afire or burning
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
provided with artificial light
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading For a couple of hours or more we had lived in the grip of a fatal and powerful curse.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
the force of workers available
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
on one occasion
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For a couple of hours or more we had lived in the grip of a fatal and powerful curse.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading For a couple of hours or more we had lived in the grip of a fatal and powerful curse.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
move hurridly
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
express in words
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Something which wasn't of the earth we knew had caught us in its toils.
spellsnounUS /spelz/
plural of “spell” — a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
stalkingnounUS /ˈstɔːkɪŋ/
a hunt for game carried on by following it stealthily or waiting in ambush
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
stealthyadjectiveUS /ˈstelθi/
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
subtleadjectiveUS /ˈsʌtəl/
difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
in or at that place or location
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
toilsnounUS /tɔɪlz/
plural of “toil” — productive work (especially physical work done for wages)
From this reading Something which wasn't of the earth we knew had caught us in its toils.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Something which wasn't of the earth we knew had caught us in its toils.
precisely as stated
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Something which wasn't of the earth we knew had caught us in its toils.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
(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 To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
weren't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
at the time that
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Something which wasn't of the earth we knew had caught us in its toils.
a Caucasian
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
belonging to which person
From this reading We had moved in the company of men whose lives weren't their own, whose very shadows seemed like avenging spirits stalking in their wake.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE GHOST When my father lit the lamp for the second time there was more than one white face; for the story had been told with such a creepy emphasis that we had been lifted away from familiar things to an atmosphere of stealthy influences and subtle spells.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading To look round once more upon the lighted room, to hear my father say cheerily, "Well, fill up again before you go," was to come back with an almost dizzying rush to common earth.
