used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
completely unclothed
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
dingyadjectiveUS /ˈdɪndʒi/
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
disturbverbUS /dɪˈstɜːrb/
move deeply
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
opinion or judgment
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
fearingverbUS /ˈfɪrɪŋ/
-ing form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
destroyed or killed
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
greetedverbUS /ˈɡriːtəd/
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
half-whispered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
not accessible to view
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
immediately past
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
neighborhoodnounUS /ˈneɪbərhʊd/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
observernounUS /əbˈzɜːrvər/
a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
porchnounUS /pɔːrtʃ/
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
without speaking
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
with low volume
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
tenantnounUS /ˈtenənt/
someone who pays rent to use land or a building or a car that is owned by someone else
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
unseenadjectiveUS /ənˈsiːn/
not seen or perceived
From this reading They moved softly, as if fearing to disturb some unseen tenant of those bare and dingy rooms.
untrimmedadjective
not trimmed
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
precisely as stated
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
WardnounUS /wɔːrd/
a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
weedsnounUS /wiːdz/
a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading At last they came to the back porch, which was hidden from the curious eyes of any chance observer in the neighborhood by a rank growth of weeds and bushes and untrimmed trees.
in the company of; together with
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
showing curiosity
From this reading As John Ward looked at his sister now, that expression of wondering amazement with which he had greeted her was gone.
the words that are spoken
From this reading AT THE OLD HOUSE From room to room in the empty old house the brother and sister went silently or with low, half-whispered words.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Often they paused, and, drawing close to each other, stood as if in the very presence of some spirit that was not of their material world.
