used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
awedadjectiveUS /ɔːd/
inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
completely unclothed
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
blurredadjectiveUS /blɜːrd/
indistinct or hazy in outline
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
in a close relation or position in time or space
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
dressing-gown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
elbownounUS /ˈelboʊ/
hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
emptinessnounUS /ˈemptinəs/
the state of containing nothing
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
faintestadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪntəst/
superlative of “faint” — deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
brought together in one place
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
heavenful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
hiding-place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
illuminationnounUS /ˌɪluːməˈneɪʃən/
a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
immensitynoun
unusual largeness in size or extent or number
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
JakesnounUS /dʒeɪks/
a small outbuilding with a bench having holes through which a user can defecate
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
lanternnounUS /ˈlæntərn/
light in a transparent protective case
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
lowestadjectiveUS /ˈloʊəst/
lowest in rank or importance
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
not any; not one
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
not one, and not any
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
and nothing more
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
having a margin incised almost to the base so as to create distinct divisions or lobes
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
recurringadjectiveUS /rɪˈkɜːrɪŋ/
coming back
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
robenounUS /roʊb/
any loose flowing garment
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
sleevesnounUS /sliːvz/
plural of “sleeve” — the part of a garment that is attached at the armhole and that provides a cloth covering for the arm
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
stoepnoun
small porch or set of steps at the front entrance of a house
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Margaret slowly descended the steps from the stoep and sat down on the lowest of them to look at the night.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
thrillnounUS /θrɪl/
the swift release of a store of affective force
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
having come into contact
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
trackedadjectiveUS /trækt/
having tracks
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
unimaginableadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪˈmædʒɪnəbəl/
totally unlikely
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
veilingnounUS /ˈveɪlɪŋ/
a net of transparent fabric with a loose open weave
From this reading The immensity of the night, veiling with emptiness unimaginable bare miles, awed her like a great presence; there was no illumination, or none but the faintest, making darkness only apparent, from the heavenful of pale blurred stars that hung over her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
in or at the place that
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading It was the first thrill of the business, to be left alone while Mrs. Jakes tracked that lantern to its hiding-place.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The wide sleeves of the dressing-gown fell back and left her arms bare to the elbow and the recurring wind, like a cold breath, touched her on the chest where the loose robe parted.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was a touch of chill in it, and she gathered herself up closely, with her hands clasped around her knees.
