Chapter XIV

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

(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 No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

possessive form of “angel” — spiritual being attendant upon God

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

extreme mental distress

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

third-person singular of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

an old form of “are”, used with “thou”

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

absence of light or illumination

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

a state in which all hope is lost or absent

From this reading DESPAIR!

water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body

From this reading L. E. L.

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

past form of “enfeeble” — make weak

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

the organ of sight

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

opinion or judgment

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

lasting for a markedly brief time

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

superlative of “gentle” — soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

a metric unit of capacity, formerly defined as the volume of one kilogram of pure water under standard conditions; now equal to 1,000 cubic centimeters (or approximately 1.75 pints)

From this reading L. E. L.

lacking spirit or liveliness

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

beat severely with a whip or rod

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

not any; not one

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

superlative of “noble” — impressive in appearance

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

have ownership or possession of

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

raise the level or amount of something

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

try to get or reach

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

plural of “skill” — an ability that has been acquired by training

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

superlative of “soft” — yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

in or at that place or location

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

the quality of a person's voice

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading No dew on the dark lash appears,-- The heart is all too full for tears."

superlative of “true” — consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

a state of agitation or turbulent change or development

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

to no avail

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

in or at the place that

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

which person or people

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Ah! what have eyes to do with sleep, That seek, and vainly seek to weep?

possessive form of “world” — everything that exists anywhere

From this reading "The world's a room of sickness, where each heart, Knows its own anguish and unrest, The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Is his, who skills of comfort best, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone, Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, Where, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by."