used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
cautiousadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːʃəs/
showing careful forethought
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
clatternounUS /ˈklætər/
a rattling noise (often produced by rapid movement)
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
cookingnounUS /ˈkʊkɪŋ/
the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
apart from; not including
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
half-open
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
humverbUS /hʌm/
sing with closed lips
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
illuminatedadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈluːməneɪtəd/
provided with artificial light
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
engage in
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
mattingnounUS /ˈmætɪŋ/
a covering of coarse fabric (usually of straw or hemp)
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
plural of “movement” — a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
not any; not one
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
peepverbUS /piːp/
look furtively
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
detected by instinct or inference rather than by recognized perceptual cues
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
ProceedingnounUS /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
cut with a saw
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
streamingadjectiveUS /ˈstriːmɪŋ/
exuding a bodily fluid in profuse amounts
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
in the direction of
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
underfootadverbUS /ˌʌndərˈfʊt/
under the feet
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
utensilsnounUS /juːˈtensəlz/
plural of “utensil” — an implement for practical use (especially in a household)
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
past form of “venture” — proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
From this reading He dropped to the floor, and, after listening to make sure that no one was approaching, ventured to peep round.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading At the end of the passage he saw a half-open door, through which the light was streaming; and now he heard the low hum of voices, and in the distance a faint clatter as of cooking utensils.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
in or at the place that
From this reading Proceeding with cautious movements towards it, he came to a spot where the passage made a sharp turn to the right.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was dark, except at the farther end, which was slightly illuminated by a dull glow, evidently the reflection of a light from some point round the corner.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He there perceived that he was in a narrow passage, with matting underfoot.
