used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading He lurched across the rug and caught the finger with a sense of adventure and triumph.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading He lurched across the rug and caught the finger with a sense of adventure and triumph.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
bunchedverbUS /bʌntʃt/
past form of “bunch” — form into a bunch
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading He lurched across the rug and caught the finger with a sense of adventure and triumph.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
clappedverbUS /klæpt/
inflected form of “clap” — put quickly or forcibly
From this reading Somebody clapped hands and laughed.
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
coloursnounUS /ˈkʌlərz/
a distinguishing emblem
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
feel or handle with the fingers
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
start firing a weapon
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
fragmentsnounUS /ˈfræɡmənts/
plural of “fragment” — a piece broken off or cut off of something else
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Memory gave no more.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Somebody clapped hands and laughed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He lurched across the rug and caught the finger with a sense of adventure and triumph.
hearthnounUS /hɑːrθ/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
an indirect suggestion
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading Somebody clapped hands and laughed.
loopedverbUS /luːpt/
past form of “loop” — move in loops
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
lurchedverbUS /lɜːrtʃt/
past form of “lurch” — walk as if unable to control one's movements
From this reading He lurched across the rug and caught the finger with a sense of adventure and triumph.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Memory gave no more.
not any; not one
From this reading Memory gave no more.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
outstretchedadjectiveUS /aʊtˈstretʃt/
fully extended especially in length
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
petticoatsnounUS /ˈpetikoʊts/
plural of “petticoat” — undergarment worn under a skirt
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
rugnounUS /rʌɡ/
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading He lurched across the rug and caught the finger with a sense of adventure and triumph.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
a person, without saying who
From this reading Somebody clapped hands and laughed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading He lurched across the rug and caught the finger with a sense of adventure and triumph.
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading An invisible hand bunched his petticoats behind, and at his feet was a rug made of looped fragments of cloth of various colours.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The first hint of memory showed a hearth, a fire, and a woman sitting in a chair with an outstretched finger.
