used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
in a state of sleep
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading As he stepped into the hall, he was astonished to hear steps near him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
Claude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
creepingnounUS /ˈkriːpɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/
treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He opened his door gently to go down to the garden.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He opened his door gently to go down to the garden.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
experiencing or showing fear
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading He opened his door gently to go down to the garden.
in a gradual manner
From this reading He opened his door gently to go down to the garden.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He opened his door gently to go down to the garden.
GrenoblenounUS /ɡrəˈnoʊbəl/
a city in southeastern France on the Isere River
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading As he stepped into the hall, he was astonished to hear steps near him.
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
head-aches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading As he stepped into the hall, he was astonished to hear steps near him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As he stepped into the hall, he was astonished to hear steps near him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading As he stepped into the hall, he was astonished to hear steps near him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
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 One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
the light of the Moon
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
not in physical motion
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading As he stepped into the hall, he was astonished to hear steps near him.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading He opened his door gently to go down to the garden.
overheardverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhɜːrd/
inflected form of “overhear” — hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
cut with a saw
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
with low volume
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading As he stepped into the hall, he was astonished to hear steps near him.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading As he stepped into the hall, he was astonished to hear steps near him.
fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
streamingadjectiveUS /ˈstriːmɪŋ/
exuding a bodily fluid in profuse amounts
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He opened his door gently to go down to the garden.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
hard to endure
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading One night not long after this, Grenoble, after trying in vain to fall asleep, sprang from his bed, and dressed himself hastily.
vicenounUS /vaɪs/
moral weakness
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He was subject to fearful head-aches, and at such times his head felt as if it were being slowly crushed in a vice.
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 He waited, motionless, and saw by the moonlight streaming through the window on the landing, that it was Claude, creeping softly up stairs, listening and stopping from time to time, as if afraid of being overheard.
