used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was no sign of a light anywhere.
(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 She listened with all her ears, but could hear nothing save the night, and the stirring of a horse.
ammonianounUS /əˈmoʊnjə/
a water solution of ammonia
From this reading The smell of horses, and ammonia, and of warmth was startling to her, in that full night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The smell of horses, and ammonia, and of warmth was startling to her, in that full night.
at or in or to any place
From this reading There was no sign of a light anywhere.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She reached at last the just visible door of the stable.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She listened with all her ears, but could hear nothing save the night, and the stirring of a horse.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She listened with all her ears, but could hear nothing save the night, and the stirring of a horse.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Opening the upper half, she looked in: into a simple well of darkness.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading She reached at last the just visible door of the stable.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading She listened with all her ears, but could hear nothing save the night, and the stirring of a horse.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The smell of horses, and ammonia, and of warmth was startling to her, in that full night.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Opening the upper half, she looked in: into a simple well of darkness.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading She listened with all her ears, but could hear nothing save the night, and the stirring of a horse.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The smell of horses, and ammonia, and of warmth was startling to her, in that full night.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading She listened with all her ears, but could hear nothing save the night, and the stirring of a horse.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading The smell of horses, and ammonia, and of warmth was startling to her, in that full night.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Opening the upper half, she looked in: into a simple well of darkness.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Opening the upper half, she looked in: into a simple well of darkness.
and nothing more
From this reading She reached at last the just visible door of the stable.
immediately past
From this reading She reached at last the just visible door of the stable.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading There was no sign of a light anywhere.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading She listened with all her ears, but could hear nothing save the night, and the stirring of a horse.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Opening the upper half, she looked in: into a simple well of darkness.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The smell of horses, and ammonia, and of warmth was startling to her, in that full night.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no sign of a light anywhere.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She listened with all her ears, but could hear nothing save the night, and the stirring of a horse.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She reached at last the just visible door of the stable.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Opening the upper half, she looked in: into a simple well of darkness.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading She reached at last the just visible door of the stable.
except for; apart from
From this reading She listened with all her ears, but could hear nothing save the night, and the stirring of a horse.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She reached at last the just visible door of the stable.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading There was no sign of a light anywhere.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading Opening the upper half, she looked in: into a simple well of darkness.
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading The smell of horses, and ammonia, and of warmth was startling to her, in that full night.
stableadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪbəl/
resistant to change of position or condition
From this reading She reached at last the just visible door of the stable.
startlingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋ/
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading The smell of horses, and ammonia, and of warmth was startling to her, in that full night.
stirringnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/
agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading She listened with all her ears, but could hear nothing save the night, and the stirring of a horse.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The smell of horses, and ammonia, and of warmth was startling to her, in that full night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She reached at last the just visible door of the stable.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no sign of a light anywhere.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The smell of horses, and ammonia, and of warmth was startling to her, in that full night.
the topmost one of two
From this reading Opening the upper half, she looked in: into a simple well of darkness.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading She reached at last the just visible door of the stable.
the sensation caused by heat energy
From this reading The smell of horses, and ammonia, and of warmth was startling to her, in that full night.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no sign of a light anywhere.
(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 Opening the upper half, she looked in: into a simple well of darkness.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She listened with all her ears, but could hear nothing save the night, and the stirring of a horse.
