used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a cold, stormy afternoon in March.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading It was a cold, stormy afternoon in March.
anew
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
(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 All through the autumn Grace had been failing, while a cold, taken in November, had left her with a cough, which clung to her persistently.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading All through the autumn Grace had been failing, while a cold, taken in November, had left her with a cough, which clung to her persistently.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had not kept his promise to be with Grace at Christmas.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
CedarsnounUS /ˈsiːdərz/
plural of “cedar” — any of numerous trees of the family Cupressaceae that resemble cedars
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading He had not kept his promise to be with Grace at Christmas.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
clungverbUS /klʌŋ/
inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading All through the autumn Grace had been failing, while a cold, taken in November, had left her with a cough, which clung to her persistently.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading It was a cold, stormy afternoon in March.
coughverbUS /kɑːf/
exhale abruptly, as when one has a chest cold or congestion
From this reading All through the autumn Grace had been failing, while a cold, taken in November, had left her with a cough, which clung to her persistently.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
crevicenounUS /ˈkrevəs/
a long narrow depression in a surface
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
detainedverbUS /dɪˈteɪnd/
past form of “detain” — deprive of freedom; take into confinement
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
failingnounUS /ˈfeɪlɪŋ/
a flaw or weak point
From this reading All through the autumn Grace had been failing, while a cold, taken in November, had left her with a cough, which clung to her persistently.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
Gordon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading He had not kept his promise to be with Grace at Christmas.
GrahamnounUS /ˈɡreɪəm/
United States evangelical preacher famous as a mass evangelist (born in 1918)
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had not kept his promise to be with Grace at Christmas.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading All through the autumn Grace had been failing, while a cold, taken in November, had left her with a cough, which clung to her persistently.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had not kept his promise to be with Grace at Christmas.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
of great significance or value
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was a cold, stormy afternoon in March.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a cold, stormy afternoon in March.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
and nothing more
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading He had not kept his promise to be with Grace at Christmas.
lawsuitnounUS /ˈlɔːsuːt/
a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading All through the autumn Grace had been failing, while a cold, taken in November, had left her with a cough, which clung to her persistently.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
march in a procession
From this reading It was a cold, stormy afternoon in March.
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
Maude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
MaxnounUS /mæks/
street names for gamma hydroxybutyrate
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
come together
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
absolutely essential
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had not kept his promise to be with Grace at Christmas.
NovembernounUS /noʊˈvembər/
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading All through the autumn Grace had been failing, while a cold, taken in November, had left her with a cough, which clung to her persistently.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
persistentlyadverbUS /pərˈsɪstəntli/
in a persistent manner
From this reading All through the autumn Grace had been failing, while a cold, taken in November, had left her with a cough, which clung to her persistently.
make a promise or commitment
From this reading He had not kept his promise to be with Grace at Christmas.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
siftedverbUS /ˈsɪftɪd/
past form of “sift” — move as if through a sieve
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
stormyadjectiveUS /ˈstɔːrmi/
(especially of weather) affected or characterized by storms or commotion
From this reading It was a cold, stormy afternoon in March.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading All through the autumn Grace had been failing, while a cold, taken in November, had left her with a cough, which clung to her persistently.
express in words
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
thermometernounUS /θərˈmɑːmətər/
measuring instrument for measuring temperature
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
tossedverbUS /tɔːst/
past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
create by training and teaching
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a cold, stormy afternoon in March.
at the time that
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading All through the autumn Grace had been failing, while a cold, taken in November, had left her with a cough, which clung to her persistently.
a Caucasian
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had not kept his promise to be with Grace at Christmas.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading An important lawsuit had detained him, and as it would be necessary for him to go to London immediately after its close, he could not tell just when he would be at the Cedars again.
zeroadjectiveUS /ˈzɪroʊ/
indicating the absence of any or all units under consideration
From this reading The thermometer marked six below zero, and the snow which had fallen the day before was tossed by the wind in great white clouds, which sifted through every crevice of the house at the Cedars, and beat against the window from which Maude Graham was looking anxiously out into the storm for the carriage which had been sent to meet the train in which Max Gordon was expected.
