used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
the state of being absent
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
(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 An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
a distinct feature or element in a problem
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
assumeverbUS /əˈsuːm/
take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it is not so.
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 Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
collagenounUS /kəˈlɑːʒ/
a paste-up made by sticking together pieces of paper or photographs to form an artistic image
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
dronenounUS /droʊn/
stingless male bee in a colony of social bees (especially honeybees) whose sole function is to mate with the queen
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
dweltverbUS /dwelt/
inflected form of “dwell” — think moodily or anxiously about something
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
divisible by two
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
fanciesnounUS /ˈfænsiz/
plural of “fancy” — something many people believe that is false
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
faultsnounUS /fɔːlts/
plural of “fault” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
flaxnounUS /flæks/
fiber of the flax plant that is made into thread and woven into linen fabric
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
impressesnounUS /ˌɪmˈpresɪz/
plural of “impress” — the act of coercing someone into government service
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
investsverbUS /ˌɪnˈvests/
third-person singular of “invest” — make an investment
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
legendsnounUS /ˈledʒəndz/
plural of “legend” — a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
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 An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
mysticadjectiveUS /ˈmɪstɪk/
having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But it is not so.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
primeadjectiveUS /praɪm/
first in rank or degree
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
QuaintadjectiveUS /kweɪnt/
strange in an interesting or pleasing way
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
sealverbUS /siːl/
make tight; secure against leakage
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
shadesnounUS /ʃeɪdz/
(plural) something that reminds you of someone or something
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But it is not so.
softeningnounUS /ˈsɔːfənɪŋ/
the process of becoming softer
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
in or at that place or location
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
threadsnounUS /θredz/
informal terms for clothing
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
twistedadjectiveUS /ˈtwɪstɪd/
having an intended meaning altered or misrepresented
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
twistingnounUS /ˈtwɪstɪŋ/
the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
unforbidding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
vicesnounUS /ˈvaɪsəz/
plural of “vice” — moral weakness
From this reading It is said that absence is like death, and that through its softening shadow, faults, and even vices, assume a gentle and unforbidding aspect.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
ween
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
a Caucasian
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
which person or people
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Death, the prime minister of God, invests with solemn majesty the individual on whom he impresses his cold, white seal.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading An ancient woman there was, who dwelt In an old gray collage all alone-- She turned her wheel the live long day-- There was music, I ween, in its solemn drone.
wovenadjectiveUS /ˈwoʊvən/
made or constructed by interlacing threads or strips of material or other elements into a whole
From this reading As she twisted the flax, the threads of thought Kept twisting too, dark, mystic threads-- And the tales she told were legends old, Quaint fancies, woven of lights and shades.
