used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had heard a loud groan.
anew
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
black-whiskered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
clothing in general
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
diningnounUS /ˈdaɪnɪŋ/
the act of eating dinner
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
psychological suffering
From this reading If sound indicated truly, there was someone outside--someone in distress.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
divisible by two
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
groannounUS /ɡroʊn/
an utterance expressing pain or disapproval
From this reading She had heard a loud groan.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had heard a loud groan.
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading She had heard a loud groan.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If sound indicated truly, there was someone outside--someone in distress.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
indicatedverbUS /ˈɪndəkeɪtəd/
past form of “indicate” — be a signal for or a symptom of
From this reading If sound indicated truly, there was someone outside--someone in distress.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
limpedverbUS /lɪmpt/
past form of “limp” — walk impeded by some physical limitation or injury
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading She had heard a loud groan.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading If sound indicated truly, there was someone outside--someone in distress.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
a person, without saying who
From this reading If sound indicated truly, there was someone outside--someone in distress.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading If sound indicated truly, there was someone outside--someone in distress.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
swarthyadjectiveUS /ˈswɔːrði/
naturally having skin of a dark color
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
in or at that place or location
From this reading If sound indicated truly, there was someone outside--someone in distress.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Suddenly she started, in alarm, and ran to the dining room door.
treadverbUS /tred/
put down or press the foot, place the foot
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading If sound indicated truly, there was someone outside--someone in distress.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
verandahnoun
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading Immediately, she heard a heavy tread on the verandah and a large swarthy, black-whiskered man in black clothes limped upon her horizon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If sound indicated truly, there was someone outside--someone in distress.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Even while she reached to turn the handle she heard it again; but not from the direction of the dining room.
