used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading We passed silently under the vine-covered arbour, across the garden, to the gateway.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
arbournounUS /ˈɑːrbər/
a framework that supports climbing plants
From this reading We passed silently under the vine-covered arbour, across the garden, to the gateway.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
next to; at the side of
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
a low-lying region in central France
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
DonanounUS /ˈdoʊnə/
a Spanish courtesy title or form of address for a woman
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading We passed silently under the vine-covered arbour, across the garden, to the gateway.
gatewaynounUS /ˈɡeɪtweɪ/
an entrance that can be closed by a gate
From this reading We passed silently under the vine-covered arbour, across the garden, to the gateway.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
hazenounUS /heɪz/
atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
IntoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
fasten with a lock
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
LockingnounUS /ˈlɑːkɪŋ/
the act of locking something up to protect it
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
moonlessadjective
without a moon or a visible moon
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
obscuredverbUS /əbsˈkjʊrd/
past form of “obscure” — make less visible or unclear
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
on one occasion
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
Orosia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
palmettonounUS /pælˈmetoʊ/
any of several low-growing palms with fan-shaped leaves
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading We passed silently under the vine-covered arbour, across the garden, to the gateway.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
without speaking
From this reading We passed silently under the vine-covered arbour, across the garden, to the gateway.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
make square
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We passed silently under the vine-covered arbour, across the garden, to the gateway.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Locking it once more, my companion took my arm and hurried me along the dark, deserted street.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Into the heavy lock Dona Orosia slipped a great key; it turned easily, the door swung open, and we stepped out.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading We passed silently under the vine-covered arbour, across the garden, to the gateway.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading We turned a corner, came upon an open square, and paused beside a huge palmetto that grew near the centre.
vine-covered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We passed silently under the vine-covered arbour, across the garden, to the gateway.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a moonless night, and a haze of cloud obscured the stars.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We passed silently under the vine-covered arbour, across the garden, to the gateway.
