used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense
From this reading The idea of taking her with him to hide at Réquillart seemed absurd.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The idea of taking her with him to hide at Réquillart seemed absurd.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
CatherinenounUS /ˈkæθərən/
first wife of Henry VIII; Henry VIII's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
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 thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
disquietnounUS /dɪˈskwaɪət/
a feeling of mild anxiety about possible developments
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
drippingsnoun
fat that exudes from meat and drips off while it is being roasted or fried
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
embarrassedadjectiveUS /ɪmˈberəst/
feeling or caused to feel ill at ease or self-conscious or ashamed
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
faintlyadverbUS /ˈfeɪntli/
to a faint degree or weakly perceived
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
furiouslyadverbUS /ˈfjʊriəsli/
(of the elements) in a wild and stormy manner
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The idea of taking her with him to hide at Réquillart seemed absurd.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading The idea of taking her with him to hide at Réquillart seemed absurd.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The idea of taking her with him to hide at Réquillart seemed absurd.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
lividadjectiveUS /ˈlɪvɪd/
anemic looking from illness or emotion
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
lumpsnounUS /lʌmps/
plural of “lump” — a compact mass
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
meltingnounUS /ˈmeltɪŋ/
the process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
not any; not one
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
ragsnounUS /ræɡz/
plural of “rag” — a small piece of cloth or paper
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
Rasseneur's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
roofsnounUS /ruːfs/
plural of “roof” — a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
Réquillart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The idea of taking her with him to hide at Réquillart seemed absurd.
express in words
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The idea of taking her with him to hide at Réquillart seemed absurd.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
stainedadjectiveUS /steɪnd/
marked or dyed or discolored with foreign matter
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
stirringnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/
agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading The idea of taking her with him to hide at Réquillart seemed absurd.
tempestuousadjectiveUS /ˌtemˈpestʃuːəs/
characterized by violent emotions or behavior
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
thawnounUS /θɔː/
the process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
thudverbUS /θʌd/
make a dull sound
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
at the time that
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
a Caucasian
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
which person or people
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In the livid sky a full moon could be faintly seen behind great clouds, black rags driven furiously by a tempestuous wind far above; and on the earth no breath was stirring, nothing could be heard but drippings from the roofs, the falling of white lumps with a soft thud.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The thaw was beginning, a slow cold thaw which stained the snow without melting it.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Étienne was embarrassed by this woman who had been given to him, and in his disquiet he could find nothing to say.
Étienne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When they came out of Rasseneur's, Étienne and Catherine walked on in silence.
