used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
arcnounUS /ɑːrk/
electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
completely unclothed
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It had been a soft step beneath her window--a little sigh.
a long seat for more than one person
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading It had been a soft step beneath her window--a little sigh.
blue-blackadjective
of black tinged with blue
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
disturbingadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/
causing distress or worry or anxiety
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
destroyed or killed
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had been a soft step beneath her window--a little sigh.
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It had been a soft step beneath her window--a little sigh.
Little-Dad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
a particular point in time
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
MOTHER'SnounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
overlookedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊvərlʊkt/
not taken into account
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
with speed
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
Identical; not different.
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading It had been a soft step beneath her window--a little sigh.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
move stealthily
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
snoringnounUS /ˈsnɔːrɪŋ/
the act of snoring or producing a snoring sound
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading It had been a soft step beneath her window--a little sigh.
a person, without saying who
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
SometimeadverbUS /ˈsʌmtaɪm/
at some indefinite or unstated time
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
spedverbUS /sped/
inflected form of “speed” — move hurridly
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
stairwaynounUS /ˈsterweɪ/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
be standing; be upright
From this reading At the same moment her ear caught a sound that made her slip her bare feet quickly to the floor and stand, listening.
having a supporting base
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading It had been a soft step beneath her window--a little sigh.
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 HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading In the dim light of the moon that hung low in the arc of the blue-black sky, Jerry made out the figure of her mother, standing near the rough bench that overlooked the valley.
verandanounUS /vərˈændə/
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
wakened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
in or at the place that
From this reading In a flash Jerry sped down the narrow stairway, past the open door of the room where Little-Dad lay snoring, and out across the veranda.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading It had been a soft step beneath her window--a little sigh.
in the company of; together with
From this reading HER MOTHER'S STORY Sometime after she had gone to sleep, Jerry wakened suddenly with the disturbing conviction that someone needed her.
