used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
Albano
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
(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 All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
assets available for use in the production of further assets
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading You might walk for days and never meet a carriage.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading It was a city in complete desolation.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading It was a city in complete desolation.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading You might walk for days and never meet a carriage.
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading It was a city in complete desolation.
an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
an old word for “before”
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
in a gradual manner
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a city in complete desolation.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
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 All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
listlesslyadverbUS /ˈlɪstləsli/
in a listless manner
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
litteredadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtərd/
filled or scattered with a disorderly accumulation of objects or rubbish
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
Lucca
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
come together
From this reading You might walk for days and never meet a carriage.
a feeling of thoughtful sadness
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
momentaryadjectiveUS /ˈmoʊmənteri/
lasting for a markedly brief time
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading You might walk for days and never meet a carriage.
nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/
impressive in appearance
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
sea-side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
searedadjectiveUS /sɪrd/
having the surface burned quickly with intense heat
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
shadyadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪdi/
quiet, dark, or concealed
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
shop-doors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
stealingnounUS /ˈstiːlɪŋ/
the act of taking something from someone unlawfully
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
in or at that place or location
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
soldiers collectively
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
hard to endure
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The grass sprang up between the stones, and troops of seared leaves, carried from the gardens, littered the empty streets.
valleysnounUS /ˈvæliz/
plural of “valley” — a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading All the great and noble of the capital had left a month before for the sea-side, or for Albano, or the shady valleys above Lucca.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading You might walk for days and never meet a carriage.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A LONG autumn day was drawing to its close in Rome, and gradually here and there might be seen a few figures stealing listlessly along, or seated in melancholy mood before the shop-doors, trying to catch a momentary breath of air ere the hour of sunset should fall.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You might walk for days and never meet a carriage.
