used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
the month following July and preceding September
From this reading The hot August days dragged on.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading Merciless sunlight beat in through the slatted shutters of ward windows.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The hot August days dragged on.
dozedverbUS /doʊzd/
past form of “doze” — sleep lightly or for a short period of time
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading The hot August days dragged on.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
eternitynounUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/
time without end
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
feverishadjectiveUS /ˈfiːvərɪʃ/
marked by intense agitation or emotion
From this reading There was a sort of feverish irritability in the air.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
grotesqueadjectiveUS /ɡroʊˈtesk/
distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading The hot August days dragged on.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Merciless sunlight beat in through the slatted shutters of ward windows.
irritabilitynounUS /ˌɪrɪtəˈbɪləti/
an irritable petulant feeling
From this reading There was a sort of feverish irritability in the air.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
the force of workers available
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
MercilessadjectiveUS /ˈmɜːrsələs/
having or showing no mercy
From this reading Merciless sunlight beat in through the slatted shutters of ward windows.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
nursesnounUS /ˈnɜːrsəz/
plural of “nurse” — one skilled in caring for young children or the sick (usually under the supervision of a physician)
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Merciless sunlight beat in through the slatted shutters of ward windows.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The hot August days dragged on.
posturesnounUS /ˈpɑːstʃərz/
plural of “posture” — the arrangement of the body and its limbs
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
plural of “prayer” — the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
precariouslyadverbUS /prɪˈkeriəsli/
in a precarious manner
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
no longer active in your work or profession
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
roofsnounUS /ruːfs/
plural of “roof” — a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
shuttersnounUS /ˈʃʌtərz/
plural of “shutter” — a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure
From this reading Merciless sunlight beat in through the slatted shutters of ward windows.
slatted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Merciless sunlight beat in through the slatted shutters of ward windows.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
sleepersnounUS /ˈsliːpərz/
plural of “sleeper” — a rester who is sleeping
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading There was a sort of feverish irritability in the air.
sprawledverbUS /sprɔːld/
past form of “sprawl” — sit or lie with one's limbs spread out
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
the rays of the sun
From this reading Merciless sunlight beat in through the slatted shutters of ward windows.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The hot August days dragged on.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a sort of feverish irritability in the air.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Merciless sunlight beat in through the slatted shutters of ward windows.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
wardnounUS /wɔːrd/
a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another
From this reading Merciless sunlight beat in through the slatted shutters of ward windows.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a sort of feverish irritability in the air.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading Merciless sunlight beat in through the slatted shutters of ward windows.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At night, from the roof to which the nurses retired after prayers for a breath of air, lower surrounding roofs were seen to be covered with sleepers.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Children dozed precariously on the edge of eternity; men and women sprawled in the grotesque postures of sleep.
