used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading All the light that came in was from the open slits in the belfry above.
(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 All the light that came in was from the open slits in the belfry above.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
belfrynounUS /ˈbelfri/
a bell tower; usually stands alone unattached to a building
From this reading All the light that came in was from the open slits in the belfry above.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading All the light that came in was from the open slits in the belfry above.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
candle-box
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading A dismal groan, coming from the middle of the church.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading A dismal groan, coming from the middle of the church.
dismaladjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/
causing dejection
From this reading A dismal groan, coming from the middle of the church.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading The next thing was to find the matches.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
set up or found
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading All the light that came in was from the open slits in the belfry above.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
groannounUS /ɡroʊn/
an utterance expressing pain or disapproval
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
GropingadjectiveUS /ˈɡroʊpɪŋ/
acting with uncertainty or hesitance or lack of confidence
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
discontinued temporarily
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
knockingnounUS /ˈnɑːkɪŋ/
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading All the light that came in was from the open slits in the belfry above.
match-box
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
matchesnounUS /ˈmætʃəz/
plural of “match” — lighter consisting of a thin piece of wood or cardboard tipped with combustible chemical; ignites with friction
From this reading The next thing was to find the matches.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading A dismal groan, coming from the middle of the church.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The next thing was to find the matches.
not any; not one
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading All the light that came in was from the open slits in the belfry above.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
with low volume
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
shelfnounUS /ʃelf/
A flat horizontal plane used to hold books or scrolls in a library.
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
slitsnounUS /slɪts/
plural of “slit” — a long narrow opening
From this reading All the light that came in was from the open slits in the belfry above.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
in the near future
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
carry out
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
a special situation
From this reading The next thing was to find the matches.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That was soon found: it always stood on the shelf; but it had no candle in it, and I opened the candle-box to take one out.
in or at the place that
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
showing curiosity
From this reading Groping about quietly with my hands on the shelf, for fear of knocking down some article or another, and wondering where on earth the match-box had gone to, I was interrupted by a groan.
