used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
acceptingadjectiveUS /ækˈseptɪŋ/
tolerating without protest
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
anew
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
age'snounUS /ˈeɪdʒɪz/
possessive form of “age” — how long something has existed
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
(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 But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading Who was this American who had come to Luxor? and why?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Who was this American who had come to Luxor? and why?
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
assassinsnounUS /əˈsæsənz/
plural of “assassin” — a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed
From this reading The long-awaited assassins had finally come.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Who was this American who had come to Luxor? and why?
crackverbUS /kræk/
become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
From this reading I took the pages that I had written and hid them in a wide crack in the marble-topped Victorian washstand.
defeatnounUS /dɪˈfiːt/
an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
disciplinenounUS /ˈdɪsəplən/
a branch of knowledge
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
dominatedadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːməneɪtəd/
controlled or ruled by superior authority or power
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
exultations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
fatiguenounUS /fəˈtiːɡ/
temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading The long-awaited assassins had finally come.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Who was this American who had come to Luxor? and why?
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
inflected form of “hide” — prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading I took the pages that I had written and hid them in a wide crack in the marble-topped Victorian washstand.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I took the pages that I had written and hid them in a wide crack in the marble-topped Victorian washstand.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
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 moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
long-awaited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The long-awaited assassins had finally come.
for more time
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
LuxornounUS /ˈlʌksər/
a city in central Egypt on the east bank of the Nile that is a center for visitors to the ruins of and around Thebes
From this reading Who was this American who had come to Luxor? and why?
maintainedadjectiveUS /meɪnˈteɪnd/
kept in good condition
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
marble-topped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I took the pages that I had written and hid them in a wide crack in the marble-topped Victorian washstand.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
not any; not one
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
obediencenounUS /oʊˈbiːdiəns/
the act of obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior with respect to another person
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
on one occasion
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
plural of “page” — one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading I took the pages that I had written and hid them in a wide crack in the marble-topped Victorian washstand.
by chance
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
practicedadjectiveUS /ˈpræktəst/
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
ragesnounUS /ˈreɪdʒɪz/
plural of “rage” — a feeling of intense anger
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
serenitynounUS /səˈren.ə.t̬i/
The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled by external storms.
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
terrorsnounUS /ˈterərz/
plural of “terror” — an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I took the pages that I had written and hid them in a wide crack in the marble-topped Victorian washstand.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Who was this American who had come to Luxor? and why?
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Who was this American who had come to Luxor? and why?
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading I took the pages that I had written and hid them in a wide crack in the marble-topped Victorian washstand.
undoes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
VictorianadjectiveUS /vɪkˈtɔːriən/
of or relating to Queen Victoria of Great Britain or to the age in which she ruled
From this reading I took the pages that I had written and hid them in a wide crack in the marble-topped Victorian washstand.
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Who was this American who had come to Luxor? and why?
washstandnoun
furniture consisting of a table or stand to hold a basin and pitcher of water for washing: “wash-hand stand” is a British term
From this reading I took the pages that I had written and hid them in a wide crack in the marble-topped Victorian washstand.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For a moment the serenity which I have so long practiced failed me and I feared for my life.
which person or people
From this reading Who was this American who had come to Luxor? and why?
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Who was this American who had come to Luxor? and why?
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading I took the pages that I had written and hid them in a wide crack in the marble-topped Victorian washstand.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading But then that animal within who undoes us all with his fierce will to live, grew quiet, accepting again the discipline I have so long maintained over him, his obedience due less perhaps to my strong will than to his fatigue, for he is no longer given to those rages and terrors and exultations which once dominated me as the moon does the tide: his defeat being my old age’s single victory, and a bitter one.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading I took the pages that I had written and hid them in a wide crack in the marble-topped Victorian washstand.
