used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
Batavia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
bewilderingverbUS /bɪˈwɪldərɪŋ/
-ing form of “bewilder” — be a mystery or bewildering to
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
Clara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
Derval's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
elasticitynounUS /ˌiːlæˈstɪsəti/
the tendency of a body to return to its original shape after it has been stretched or compressed
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
enduredverbUS /enˈdjʊrd/
past form of “endure” — put up with something or somebody unpleasant
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
at any time
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
explanationsnounUS /ˌekspləˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “explanation” — a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
fatedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtɪd/
(usually followed by “to”) determined by tragic fate
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
Finglecombe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
lingeringnounUS /ˈlɪŋɡərɪŋ/
the act of tarrying
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
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 During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
having or showing great strength or force or intensity
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
miragenounUS /mərˈɑːʒ/
an optical illusion in which atmospheric refraction by a layer of hot air distorts or inverts reflections of distant objects
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
mortificationnounUS /ˈmɔːrtəfkeɪʃən/
strong feelings of embarrassment
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
NEMESISnounUS /ˈneməsɪs/
(Greek mythology) the goddess of divine retribution and vengeance
From this reading NEMESIS.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
oasisnounUS /oʊˈeɪsɪs/
a fertile tract in a desert (where the water table approaches the surface)
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
on one occasion
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
try to get or reach
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
suggestverbUS /səˈdʒest/
make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
tidingsnounUS /ˈtaɪdɪŋz/
information about recent and important events
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
unrealadjectiveUS /ənˈriːl/
lacking in reality or substance or genuineness; not corresponding to acknowledged facts or criteria
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
having passed out of existence
From this reading Now the once happy time of love and lingering at Finglecombe seemed, indeed, as an unreal mirage, a vanished oasis in the dull grey desert of his existence.
an act of traveling by water
From this reading During the long voyage of nearly three thousand miles to Batavia, Derval's health and strength came back, but not his old elasticity of spirit.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He had ever one thought--Clara! and the disappointment and mortification he endured were keen and bitter.
at the time that
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
but in spite of that
From this reading He ceased now to seek for such explanations of her silence as his imagination might suggest; though times there were, when a great terror came over him, that she was dead; yet it was passing strange, that it was amid the mighty waste of the Indian ocean he was fated to hear some tidings of her--tidings that were, certainly, somewhat bewildering.
