used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
bow-window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
crescent-shapedadjective
resembling the new moon in shape
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
dinedverbUS /daɪnd/
past form of “dine” — have supper; eat dinner
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
electricadjectiveUS /ɪˈlektrɪk/
using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
opinion or judgment
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
four-post
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
immediately past
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
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 while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
moonlitadjectiveUS /ˈmuːnlɪt/
lighted by moonlight
From this reading Then she opened them, widely, on to her moonlit room.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Then she opened them, widely, on to her moonlit room.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Then she opened them, widely, on to her moonlit room.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
by chance
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
on the contrary
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Then she opened them, widely, on to her moonlit room.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
a male human offspring
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
star-powdered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
not in physical motion
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
switchverbUS /swɪtʃ/
change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Then she opened them, widely, on to her moonlit room.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then she opened them, widely, on to her moonlit room.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
Tropenell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
on a floor above
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Mother and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs.
in or at the place that
From this reading Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading.
widelyadverbUS /ˈwaɪdli/
to a great degree
From this reading Then she opened them, widely, on to her moonlit room.
