used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Presently Master Arthur appeared, and close behind him came his friend.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)
From this reading Presently Master Arthur appeared, and close behind him came his friend.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Bill was early at the night-school.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Presently Master Arthur appeared, and close behind him came his friend.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading Bill was early at the night-school.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
cackled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Presently Master Arthur appeared, and close behind him came his friend.
a collection of things sharing a common attribute
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Presently Master Arthur appeared, and close behind him came his friend.
corbies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
crawed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
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 Bill was early at the night-school.
fearsomeadjectiveUS /ˈfɪrsəm/
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
start firing a weapon
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
first-comers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Presently Master Arthur appeared, and close behind him came his friend.
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
gentrynounUS /ˈdʒentri/
the most powerful members of a society
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
gradualadjectiveUS /ˈɡrædʒuːəl/
proceeding in small stages
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
headstonesnounUS /ˈhedstoʊnz/
plural of “headstone” — the central building block at the top of an arch or vault
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Presently Master Arthur appeared, and close behind him came his friend.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
MANSIE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MANSIE WAUGH.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading Presently Master Arthur appeared, and close behind him came his friend.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
night-school
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bill was early at the night-school.
not any; not one
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
pitmirk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
in the near future
From this reading Presently Master Arthur appeared, and close behind him came his friend.
railingsnounUS /ˈreɪlɪŋz/
plural of “railing” — a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
concerned with religion or religious purposes
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
an educational institution
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
soughed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
steeple-holes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading No other of his class had arrived, so he took the corner by the fire sacred to first-comers, and watched the gradual gathering of the school.
WAUGHnounUS /wɔː/
English author of satirical novels (1903-1966)
From this reading MANSIE WAUGH.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading "The night was now pitmirk; the wind soughed amid the headstones and railings of the gentry (for we all must die), and the black corbies in the steeple-holes cackled and crawed in a fearsome manner."
