used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were an old man, grey-haired and stooping, and a pale-faced young woman.
alertnessnounUS /əˈlɜːrtnəs/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They were an old man, grey-haired and stooping, and a pale-faced young woman.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
Borg
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
(used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The last few years had left their mark on Ørlygur à Borg.
flickerverbUS /ˈflɪkər/
move back and forth very rapidly
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
grey-hairedadjective
showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair
From this reading They were an old man, grey-haired and stooping, and a pale-faced young woman.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The last few years had left their mark on Ørlygur à Borg.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
immediately past
From this reading The last few years had left their mark on Ørlygur à Borg.
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 last few years had left their mark on Ørlygur à Borg.
listlessnessnoun
a feeling of lack of interest or energy
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading They were an old man, grey-haired and stooping, and a pale-faced young woman.
attach a tag or label to
From this reading The last few years had left their mark on Ørlygur à Borg.
masterfulness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading They were an old man, grey-haired and stooping, and a pale-faced young woman.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The last few years had left their mark on Ørlygur à Borg.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
pale-facedadjective
having a pale face
From this reading They were an old man, grey-haired and stooping, and a pale-faced young woman.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
ruddyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌdi/
inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
sitting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
statelyadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪtli/
impressive in appearance
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
stoopingadjectiveUS /ˈstuːpɪŋ/
having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect
From this reading They were an old man, grey-haired and stooping, and a pale-faced young woman.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
tallownounUS /ˈtæloʊ/
obtained from suet and used in making soap, candles and lubricants
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The last few years had left their mark on Ørlygur à Borg.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were an old man, grey-haired and stooping, and a pale-faced young woman.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The stately bearing and alertness which had distinguished him in days gone by, had given place to a listlessness and an expression of gloom.
in the direction of
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
which person or people
From this reading There was little of the old masterfulness in the man who sat now on the edge of the bed, staring at the ruddy flicker of a tallow candle.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading They were an old man, grey-haired and stooping, and a pale-faced young woman.
a late time of life
From this reading The last few years had left their mark on Ørlygur à Borg.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading They were an old man, grey-haired and stooping, and a pale-faced young woman.
à
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last few years had left their mark on Ørlygur à Borg.
Ørlygur
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One evening towards the end of summer, two people were seated in the room at Borg which served Ørlygur as bedroom and sitting-room.
