used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
anew
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
anewadverbUS /əˈnuː/
again but in a new or different way
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
disposed or placed in a particular kind of order
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
astoundingadjectiveUS /əˈstaʊndɪŋ/
bewildering or striking dumb with wonder
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
blurredadjectiveUS /blɜːrd/
indistinct or hazy in outline
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
bodilyadverbUS /ˈbɑːdəli/
in bodily form
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
chaoticadjectiveUS /keɪˈɑːtɪk/
lacking a visible order or organization
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
chillyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪli/
not characterized by emotion
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
degreesnounUS /dɪˈɡriːz/
plural of “degree” — a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
dialoguenounUS /ˈdaɪəlɔːɡ/
a conversation between two persons
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
DisjointedadjectiveUS /dɪsˈdʒɔɪntɪd/
lacking orderly continuity
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
distinctnessnoun
the quality of being sharp and clear
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
exhaustionnounUS /ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən/
extreme fatigue
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
faintnessnounUS /ˈfeɪntnəs/
a feeling of faintness and of being ready to swoon
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
assemble or get together
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
the act of giving
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
hideousadjectiveUS /ˈhɪdiəs/
grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
intense and profound fear
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
incoherentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnkoʊˈhɪrəntli/
in an incoherent manner
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
malignantadjectiveUS /məˈlɪɡnənt/
dangerous to health; characterized by progressive and uncontrolled growth (especially of a tumor)
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
the message that is intended or expressed or signified
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
meaninglessly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
menaceverbUS /ˈmenəs/
pose a threat to; present a danger to
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
momentaryadjectiveUS /ˈmoʊmənteri/
lasting for a markedly brief time
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
numbadjectiveUS /nʌm/
lacking sensation
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
plural of “page” — one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
phrasesnounUS /ˈfreɪzəz/
plural of “phrase” — an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
reading-stand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
recurring again and again
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
ScrapsnounUS /skræps/
food that is discarded (as from a kitchen)
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
not in physical motion
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading And then, by degrees, as I sat gazing at the blurred pages of the book that still lay open on the reading-stand, my thoughts grew less chaotic; the words of that dreadful dialogue arranged themselves anew, and I began with more distinctness to gather their meaning.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
undertonenounUS /ˈʌndərtoʊn/
a quiet or hushed tone of voice
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
wanting in physical strength
From this reading The momentary shock of horror and amazement had passed, giving place to a numb and chilly dread that made me feel sick and weak.
whisperings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
in the company of; together with
From this reading As the study door closed, I sank into my easy chair with a sudden feeling of faintness and bodily exhaustion.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Disjointed words and phrases repeated themselves again and again, almost meaninglessly, but still with a vague undertone of menace.
but in spite of that
From this reading Scraps of the astounding conversation that I had heard came back to me, incoherently and yet with hideous distinctness, like the whisperings of some malignant spirit.
