used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
(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 He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
Andrew'snounUS /ˈændruːz/
possessive form of “andrew” — (New Testament) disciple of Jesus; brother of Peter; patron saint of Scotland
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
in a state of sleep
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
battlesnounUS /ˈbætəlz/
plural of “battle” — a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
castingnounUS /ˈkæstɪŋ/
object formed by a mold
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
clingingverbUS /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
comparative of “deeply” — to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Judith Moore did not die.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading Judith Moore did not die.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
an opposing military force
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
failingnounUS /ˈfeɪlɪŋ/
a flaw or weak point
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading _L'ENVOI._ "Fair love that led home."
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading _L'ENVOI._ "Fair love that led home."
JudithnounUS /ˈdʒuːdəθ/
Jewish heroine in one of the books of the Apocrypha; she saved her people by decapitating the Assyrian general Holofernes
From this reading Judith Moore did not die.
L'ENVOI
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _L'ENVOI._ "Fair love that led home."
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading _L'ENVOI._ "Fair love that led home."
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading _L'ENVOI._ "Fair love that led home."
mantlenounUS /ˈmæntəl/
the cloak as a symbol of authority
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
MoorenounUS /mʊr/
United States composer of works noted for their use of the American vernacular (1893-1969)
From this reading Judith Moore did not die.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Judith Moore did not die.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
pittingnounUS /ˈpɪtɪŋ/
the formation of small pits in a surface as a consequence of corrosion
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
having great beauty and splendor
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
sunburntadjective
suffering from overexposure to direct sunlight
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
tenderlyadverbUS /ˈtendərli/
with tenderness; in a tender manner
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _L'ENVOI._ "Fair love that led home."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
up to a particular time
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
a shaky motion
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
vanquishedverbUS /ˈvæŋkwɪʃt/
past form of “vanquish” — come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
vitalitynounUS /vaɪˈtæləti/
an energetic style
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
weightedadjectiveUS /ˈweɪtɪd/
made heavy or weighted down with weariness
From this reading He held her tenderly till a deeper sleep weighted down those clinging hands, and they fell.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
which person or people
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had fallen asleep that day with her fingers trembling about Andrew's sunburnt hair.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading He watched by her, without movement, almost without breathing, with the look on his face as of one who battles with Death, pitting all the splendid vitality of his being against the enemy, casting the mantle of his brave soul, strong will and perfect love about the trembling will and failing heart that were so nearly vanquished.
