used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading That night a sudden storm swept across Lucerne.
abhorredverbUS /əbˈhɔːrd/
inflected form of “abhor” — find repugnant
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading That night a sudden storm swept across Lucerne.
acuteadjectiveUS /əˈkjuːt/
having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Opal crouched in her bed, and buried her head in the pillows.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
bladesnounUS /bleɪdz/
plural of “blade” — especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
boomverbUS /buːm/
make a resonant sound, like artillery
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
placed in a grave
From this reading Opal crouched in her bed, and buried her head in the pillows.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
cannonnounUS /ˈkænən/
a large artillery gun that is usually on wheels
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
cowered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
crashedverbUS /kræʃt/
past form of “crash” — fall or come down violently
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading Opal crouched in her bed, and buried her head in the pillows.
despairingadjectiveUS /dɪˈsperɪŋ/
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
a feeling of intense anger
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
guiltnounUS /ɡɪlt/
the state of having committed an offense
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Opal crouched in her bed, and buried her head in the pillows.
the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Opal crouched in her bed, and buried her head in the pillows.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
legaladjectiveUS /ˈliːɡəl/
established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
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 She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
lovelessadjectiveUS /ˈlʌvləs/
without love
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
LucernenounUS /ˈluːsərn/
important European leguminous forage plant with trifoliate leaves and blue-violet flowers grown widely as a pasture and hay crop
From this reading That night a sudden storm swept across Lucerne.
MadnessnounUS /ˈmædnəs/
obsolete terms for legal insanity
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
the message that is intended or expressed or signified
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
menacingadjectiveUS /ˈmenəsɪŋ/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
very unhappy; full of misery
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading That night a sudden storm swept across Lucerne.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
OpalnounUS /ˈoʊpəl/
a translucent mineral consisting of hydrated silica of variable color; some varieties are used as gemstones
From this reading Opal crouched in her bed, and buried her head in the pillows.
pillowsnounUS /ˈpɪloʊz/
plural of “pillow” — a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person
From this reading Opal crouched in her bed, and buried her head in the pillows.
the possibility of future success
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
ravedverbUS /reɪvd/
past form of “rave” — participate in an all-night techno dance party
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
reignedverbUS /reɪnd/
past form of “reign” — have sovereign power
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
relentlessadjectiveUS /rɪˈlentlɪs/
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
rockingverbUS /ˈrɑːkɪŋ/
-ing form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
separationnounUS /ˌsepərˈeɪʃən/
the state of lacking unity
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
shamefuladjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪmfəl/
(used of conduct or character) deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
a person who is owned by someone
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
sovereigntynounUS /ˈsɑːvrənti/
government free from external control
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading That night a sudden storm swept across Lucerne.
strawsnounUS /strɔːz/
plural of “straw” — plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading That night a sudden storm swept across Lucerne.
possessing sweep
From this reading That night a sudden storm swept across Lucerne.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That night a sudden storm swept across Lucerne.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
threateningadjectiveUS /ˈθretənɪŋ/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
move fast, noisily, and heavily
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
tonguesnounUS /tʌŋz/
plural of “tongue” — a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
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 The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
undisputedadjectiveUS /ˌʌndɪsˈpjuːtɪd/
generally agreed upon; not subject to dispute
From this reading Madness reigned in undisputed sovereignty, and the earth cowered and trembled beneath the anger of the threatening heavens.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
intense anger (usually on an epic scale)
From this reading The thunder crashed like the boom of a thousand cannon; like menacing blades the lightning flashed its tongues of savage flame; the winds raved in relentless fury, rocking the giant trees like straws in the majesty of their wrath.
an affirmative
From this reading She had never before known the meaning of fear, but now she was alone, and the consciousness of guilt was upon her--the acute agony of their separation mingled with the despairing prospect of a long, miserable loveless--yes, _shameful,_--life as the legal slave of a man she abhorred.
