used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading For a long time after she had finished she knelt looking at the cheerful blaze.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For a long time after she had finished she knelt looking at the cheerful blaze.
back-log
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
blazenounUS /bleɪz/
a strong flame that burns brightly
From this reading For a long time after she had finished she knelt looking at the cheerful blaze.
being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits
From this reading For a long time after she had finished she knelt looking at the cheerful blaze.
chimneynounUS /ˈtʃɪmni/
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
crashverbUS /kræʃ/
fall or come down violently
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
fagots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading For a long time after she had finished she knelt looking at the cheerful blaze.
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
located inward
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
Kate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
kneltverbUS /nelt/
inflected form of “kneel” — rest one's weight on one's knees
From this reading For a long time after she had finished she knelt looking at the cheerful blaze.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading For a long time after she had finished she knelt looking at the cheerful blaze.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading For a long time after she had finished she knelt looking at the cheerful blaze.
Maisie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/
being on the outside or further from a center
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
piledverbUS /paɪld/
past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
done under pressure
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
sitting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
smoulderingadjective
showing scarcely suppressed anger
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
stormyadjectiveUS /ˈstɔːrmi/
(especially of weather) affected or characterized by storms or commotion
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
swirledverbUS /swɜːrld/
past form of “swirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
express in words
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
a special situation
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For a long time after she had finished she knelt looking at the cheerful blaze.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
at the time that
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
whereupon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The flames swirled up the wide chimney in the sitting-room, whereupon she rose and drew the curtain across the inner door.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When Maisie went out, Kate heard the outer door shut with a crash as the wind rushed in.
wood-box
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she went to the wood-box and piled fresh fagots about the great back-log, which had grown red and smouldering.
Zaandpoort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A NIGHT OF STORM I will now tell the thing which happened to Kate in the house in Zaandpoort Street that stormy night when for an hour she was left alone.
