used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
calamitynounUS /kəˈlæməti/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
contentedadjectiveUS /kənˈtentəd/
satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
DEPOSEDverbUS /dɪˈpoʊzd/
past form of “depose” — force to leave (an office)
From this reading DEPOSED.
direadjectiveUS /daɪr/
fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
the petals or sepals of a flower that bend downward (especially the outer perianth of an iris)
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
hearsverbUS /hiːrz/
third-person singular of “hear” — perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
unbiased impartial unconcern
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
past form of “murmur” — speak softly or indistinctly
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
on one occasion
From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
recognisesverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪz/
third-person singular of “recognise” — show approval or appreciation of
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
Identical; not different.
From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seems exactly the same, but one knows at once that it is not the same.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
the act of singing vocal music
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
(sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
moving very fast
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
tea-kettle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
twentiethnounUS /ˈtwentiəθ/
position 20 in a countable series of things
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading In the twentieth part of a second one recognises the voice of a dire calamity--especially if one is a mother, and has heard it before.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading But one day it falls on the heart as well as on the ear, like the stroke of a swift sword.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading The little sound that is as common as silence--a familiar step, a murmured word, an opening door--one hears it a thousand times with contented indifference, as one hears the singing of the tea-kettle.
