used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
in actual fact
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was an instant so tense that her silence seemed like a blow.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
betrayverbUS /bɪˈtreɪ/
reveal unintentionally
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
exhale hard
From this reading It was an instant so tense that her silence seemed like a blow.
either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
the process of giving careful thought to something
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
crucialadjectiveUS /ˈkruːʃəl/
of extreme importance; vital to the resolution of a crisis
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
durst
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/
past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
-ing form of “expect” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
opinion or judgment
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
flushnounUS /flʌʃ/
the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
helplesslyadverbUS /ˈhelpləsli/
in a helpless manner
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was an instant so tense that her silence seemed like a blow.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It was an instant so tense that her silence seemed like a blow.
held dear
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
a particular point in time
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
not any; not one
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
recognitionnounUS /ˌrekəɡˈnɪʃən/
the state or quality of being recognized or acknowledged
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
cut with a saw
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It was an instant so tense that her silence seemed like a blow.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading It was an instant so tense that her silence seemed like a blow.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was an instant so tense that her silence seemed like a blow.
express in speech
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
possessing sweep
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
tensenounUS /tens/
a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time
From this reading It was an instant so tense that her silence seemed like a blow.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
in or at that place or location
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
tienounUS /taɪ/
neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
a message informing of danger
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
warrantnounUS /ˈwɔːrənt/
a writ from a court commanding police to perform specified acts
From this reading I durst give no signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my expecting any consideration from her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was an instant so tense that her silence seemed like a blow.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading I saw her eyes open wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat and cheek.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading THE WOMAN I LOVED THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she would give way to her excitement and betray everything.
