used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
how long something has existed
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
animateverbUS /ˈænəmət/
heighten or intensify
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
beamsnounUS /biːmz/
plural of “beam” — a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
CeylonnounUS /sɪˈlɑːn/
an island in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of India
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
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 In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
consumptionnounUS /kənˈsʌmpʃən/
the process of taking food into the body through the mouth (as by eating)
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
domenounUS /doʊm/
a concave shape whose distinguishing characteristic is that the concavity faces downward
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
doomedadjectiveUS /duːmd/
marked for certain death
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
equatorialadjectiveUS /ˌiːkwəˈtɔːriəl/
of or relating to or at an equator
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
a social unit living together
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
foliagenounUS /ˈfoʊlɪdʒ/
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
a young female
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
possessive form of “girl” — a young female
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
the act of retaining something
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
immediately past
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
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 In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
occupyingverbUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “occupy” — keep busy with
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
on one occasion
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
and nothing more
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
perishedverbUS /ˈperɪʃt/
past form of “perish” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
preservedadjectiveUS /prəˈzɜːrvd/
prevented from decaying or spoiling and prepared for future use
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
any competition
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
raysnounUS /reɪz/
plural of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
reignedverbUS /reɪnd/
past form of “reign” — have sovereign power
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
ruinsnounUS /ˈruːənz/
plural of “ruin” — an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
scantyadjectiveUS /ˈskænti/
lacking in magnitude or quantity
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
SelenenounUS /səˈliːn/
(Greek mythology) goddess of the Moon in ancient mythology; identified with Roman Luna
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
semblancenounUS /ˈsembləns/
an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/
a state of social isolation
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
spaciousadjectiveUS /ˈspeɪʃəs/
very large in expanse or scope
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
speciesnounUS /ˈspiːʃiz/
(biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
submergedadjectiveUS /səbˈmɜːrdʒd/
beneath the surface of the water
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
survivingadjectiveUS /sərˈvaɪvɪŋ/
still in existence
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/
a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
precisely as stated
From this reading A few trees, of northern species, had been preserved under the spacious dome of glass, and beneath their scanty foliage, holding the cold hands of her mother who had died the night before, the young girl sat alone, doomed to death in the very flower of her age.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
which person or people
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
belonging to which person
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In the vast room reigned the stillness and solitude of death, broken only by the young girl’s breathing, which seemed to animate the silence with the semblance of life.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading In the sky above the full moon shone like a golden torch, but its yellow rays were as cold as the silver beams of the ancient Selene.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading In the ruins of the other equatorial city, occupying a once submerged valley south of the island of Ceylon, was a young girl, whose mother and older sister had perished of consumption and cold, and who was now left alone, the last surviving member of the last family of the race.
