used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading She listened for a long time to the movements of the animals in the stable.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She couldn't sleep; he might as well have it, but would, of course, refuse....
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
cotnounUS /kɑːt/
a sheath worn to protect a finger
From this reading The cot on which she now so restlessly lay was his.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She couldn't sleep; he might as well have it, but would, of course, refuse....
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading She couldn't sleep; he might as well have it, but would, of course, refuse....
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
fewestadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːəst/
(superlative of “few” used with count nouns and usually preceded by “the”) quantifier meaning the smallest in number
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
gong-clanging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She couldn't sleep; he might as well have it, but would, of course, refuse....
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The cot on which she now so restlessly lay was his.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She listened for a long time to the movements of the animals in the stable.
intervalsnounUS /ˈɪntərvəlz/
plural of “interval” — a definite length of time marked off by two instants
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She couldn't sleep; he might as well have it, but would, of course, refuse....
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The cot on which she now so restlessly lay was his.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading She listened for a long time to the movements of the animals in the stable.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
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 SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
and nothing more
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading She couldn't sleep; he might as well have it, but would, of course, refuse....
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
plural of “movement” — a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading She listened for a long time to the movements of the animals in the stable.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
muffledadjectiveUS /ˈmʌfəld/
being or made softer or less loud or clear
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The cot on which she now so restlessly lay was his.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She couldn't sleep; he might as well have it, but would, of course, refuse....
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The cot on which she now so restlessly lay was his.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
with low volume
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
show unwillingness towards
From this reading She couldn't sleep; he might as well have it, but would, of course, refuse....
restlesslyadverbUS /ˈrestləsli/
in a restless manner
From this reading The cot on which she now so restlessly lay was his.
roundsnounUS /raʊndz/
plural of “round” — a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading She couldn't sleep; he might as well have it, but would, of course, refuse....
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The cot on which she now so restlessly lay was his.
with low volume
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
stableadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪbəl/
resistant to change of position or condition
From this reading She listened for a long time to the movements of the animals in the stable.
stirringnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/
agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading She listened for a long time to the movements of the animals in the stable.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
hard to endure
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
two times
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
precisely as stated
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The cot on which she now so restlessly lay was his.
watchmannounUS /ˈwɑːtʃmən/
a guard who keeps watch
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading She couldn't sleep; he might as well have it, but would, of course, refuse....
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading SHE heard little more for several hours; merely a muffled stirring about, at long intervals, as if he were walking the floor or trying to move a chair very quietly.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The cot on which she now so restlessly lay was his.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading Much later--the gong-clanging watchman had passed on his rounds twice at fewest; it must have been midnight--she heard him working very softly at his door.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She couldn't sleep; he might as well have it, but would, of course, refuse....
