used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
addressingverbUS /əˈdresɪŋ/
-ing form of “address” — speak to
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
agedadjectiveUS /eɪdʒd/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading Esther's attention was riveted upon the sounds which reached her from the streets.
biblicaladjectiveUS /ˈbɪbləkəl/
of or pertaining to or contained in or in accordance with the Bible
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
childhoodnounUS /ˈtʃaɪldhʊd/
the time of person's life when they are a child
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
EsthernounUS /ˈestər/
(Old Testament) a beautiful Jewess chosen by the king of Persia to be his queen; she stopped a plot to massacre all the Jews in Persia (an event celebrated by Jews as the feast of Purim)
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
Esther's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Esther's attention was riveted upon the sounds which reached her from the streets.
fragmentsnounUS /ˈfræɡmənts/
plural of “fragment” — a piece broken off or cut off of something else
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Esther's attention was riveted upon the sounds which reached her from the streets.
provided with whatever is necessary for a purpose (as furniture or equipment or authority)
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
a young female
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
heednounUS /hiːd/
paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people)
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
incessantlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsesəntli/
with unflagging resolve
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
incomprehensibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪŋkɑːmprəˈhensɪbəl/
incapable of being explained or accounted for
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
maledictions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
minglingnounUS /ˈmɪŋɡəlɪŋ/
the action of people mingling and coming into contact
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
mumbledverbUS /ˈmʌmbəld/
past form of “mumble” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
not any; not one
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
poorlyadverbUS /ˈpuːrli/
(“ill” is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
plural of “prayer” — the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Esther's attention was riveted upon the sounds which reached her from the streets.
reminiscencesnounUS /ˌreməˈnɪsənsɪz/
plural of “reminiscence” — a mental impression retained and recalled from the past
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
rivetedverbUS /ˈrɪvətɪd/
past form of “rivet” — direct one's attention on something
From this reading Esther's attention was riveted upon the sounds which reached her from the streets.
Identical; not different.
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
SANCTUARYnounUS /ˈsæŋk.tʃu.er.i/
A place of safety, refuge, or holy retreat within the academy.
From this reading SANCTUARY.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
scrapsnounUS /skræps/
food that is discarded (as from a kitchen)
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Esther's attention was riveted upon the sounds which reached her from the streets.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Esther's attention was riveted upon the sounds which reached her from the streets.
textsnounUS /teksts/
plural of “text” — the words of something written
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She spoke to herself, never addressing the girl, who on her part paid her no heed.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Esther's attention was riveted upon the sounds which reached her from the streets.
wailsnounUS /weɪlz/
plural of “wail” — a cry of sorrow and grief
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Esther's attention was riveted upon the sounds which reached her from the streets.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Esther's attention was riveted upon the sounds which reached her from the streets.
which person or people
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
in the company of; together with
From this reading That same night, in a poorly furnished chamber, Esther sat, with bowed head, and hands clasped in her lap.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading By her side crouched an aged woman who mumbled incessantly, mingling wails, maledictions, and incomprehensible reminiscences of her childhood with fragments of prayers and scraps of biblical texts.
