used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
(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 She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
downstairsadverbUS /ˈdaʊnˈsterz/
on a floor below
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading I gave Philibert no explanation of Fan’s presence or of her illness.
FanverbUS /fæn/
strike out (a batter), (of a pitcher)
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
Fan'snounUS /fænz/
possessive form of “fan” — a device for creating a current of air by movement of a surface or surfaces
From this reading I gave Philibert no explanation of Fan’s presence or of her illness.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading I gave Philibert no explanation of Fan’s presence or of her illness.
the act of departing
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
illnessnounUS /ˈɪlnəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading I gave Philibert no explanation of Fan’s presence or of her illness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
lanternnounUS /ˈlæntərn/
light in a transparent protective case
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
a female domestic
From this reading I had told my maid to suggest this explanation to the servants.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I had told my maid to suggest this explanation to the servants.
not any; not one
From this reading I gave Philibert no explanation of Fan’s presence or of her illness.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I gave Philibert no explanation of Fan’s presence or of her illness.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
by chance
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
Philibert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I gave Philibert no explanation of Fan’s presence or of her illness.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading I gave Philibert no explanation of Fan’s presence or of her illness.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
scrapingnounUS /ˈskreɪpɪŋ/
(usually plural) a fragment scraped off of something and collected
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading I had told my maid to suggest this explanation to the servants.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
sightsnounUS /saɪts/
an optical instrument for aiding the eye in aiming, as on a firearm or surveying instrument
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
suggestverbUS /səˈdʒest/
make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading I had told my maid to suggest this explanation to the servants.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I had told my maid to suggest this explanation to the servants.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading I had told my maid to suggest this explanation to the servants.
create by training and teaching
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
trotverbUS /trɑːt/
run at a moderately swift pace
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading The other people in the house thought that she had come for a visit and had caught cold during a walk in the rain.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading She lay in a deep dark empty place of her own, cut off from all the sights and sounds round her, watching something, following something, the red lantern perhaps at the end of a train going away in the dark.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were dancing downstairs; I heard their feet scraping; the time was changed to a fox trot--but Fan did not notice.
