used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
a youthful male person
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
cabnounUS /kæb/
a compartment at the front of a motor vehicle or locomotive where driver sits
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
chapelnounUS /ˈtʃæpəl/
a place of worship that has its own altar
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
chatteringnounUS /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/
the rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading What a quiet place to live or die in, in the very heart of the City!
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading What a quiet place to live or die in, in the very heart of the City!
disturbverbUS /dɪˈstɜːrb/
move deeply
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
dyingadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪɪŋ/
in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
Gipnoun
(sometimes offensive) an act of swindling or cheating
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
destroyed or killed
From this reading GONE.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
gravesnounUS /ɡreɪvz/
English writer known for his interest in mythology and in the classics (1895-1985)
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
gravestonesnounUS /ˈɡreɪvstoʊnz/
plural of “gravestone” — a stone that is used to mark a grave
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading What a quiet place to live or die in, in the very heart of the City!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
hushedadjectiveUS /hʌʃt/
in a softened tone
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
go away from a place
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading What a quiet place to live or die in, in the very heart of the City!
MasonnounUS /ˈmeɪsən/
American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
merrilyadverbUS /ˈmerəli/
in a joyous manner
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What a quiet place to live or die in, in the very heart of the City!
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading What a quiet place to live or die in, in the very heart of the City!
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading What a quiet place to live or die in, in the very heart of the City!
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading What a quiet place to live or die in, in the very heart of the City!
a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
SandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
Shafto's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
with low volume
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
tenderlyadverbUS /ˈtendərli/
with tenderness; in a tender manner
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
trodverbUS /trɑːd/
inflected form of “tread” — put down or press the foot, place the foot
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
precisely as stated
From this reading What a quiet place to live or die in, in the very heart of the City!
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What a quiet place to live or die in, in the very heart of the City!
which person or people
From this reading Mr. Mason trod softly, as if his step might already disturb the dying boy; and Sandy tenderly hushed Gip, who was chattering merrily in his arms.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A bright light shone through John Shafto's window, and fell upon the gravestones and the almost level graves, covered with rank grass.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading THEY had to leave the cab in the street, and walk across the chapel yard.
