used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was late, and the house was quiet.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
door-mat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
downstairsadverbUS /ˈdaʊnˈsterz/
on a floor below
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
elaborateadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæbrət/
marked by complexity and richness of detail
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Once outside, I felt safe.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
hall-door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading It was late, and the house was quiet.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was late, and the house was quiet.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading It was late, and the house was quiet.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
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 The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
muffledadjectiveUS /ˈmʌfəld/
being or made softer or less loud or clear
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
not any; not one
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
on one occasion
From this reading Once outside, I felt safe.
and nothing more
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Once outside, I felt safe.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
precautionsnounUS /priˈkɔːʃənz/
plural of “precaution” — a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading It was late, and the house was quiet.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading Once outside, I felt safe.
Identical; not different.
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
slammingverbUS /ˈslæmɪŋ/
inflected form of “slam” — close violently
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
slippingadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpɪŋ/
moving as on a slippery surface
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
snoringnounUS /ˈsnɔːrɪŋ/
the act of snoring or producing a snoring sound
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
with low volume
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was late, and the house was quiet.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
in or at that place or location
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
unfastenedadjective
not closed or secured
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was late, and the house was quiet.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading From my father’s room there came a heavy, muffled snoring as I made my way downstairs.
at the time that
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading When I leaned out of my window I could hear the sound of the waves, but no other sound; then I opened my bedroom door softly, and crept out into the passage.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The hall-door I unfastened with the same elaborate precautions against noise, but I left it open behind me, only slipping in the door-mat to keep it from slamming.
