used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
acutelyadverbUS /əˈkjuːtli/
in a keen or penetrating way
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She approached--their gaze met--he had bowed, and passed her.
past form of “approach” — move towards
From this reading She approached--their gaze met--he had bowed, and passed her.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Then he knew that, in the intensity of emotion that shook him body and brain, there was a thrill of joy, inexplicable but insistent.
of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow
From this reading She approached--their gaze met--he had bowed, and passed her.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading Then he knew that, in the intensity of emotion that shook him body and brain, there was a thrill of joy, inexplicable but insistent.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
intentionally conceived
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
convulsionnounUS /kənˈvʌlʃən/
a sudden uncontrollable attack
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
any strong feeling
From this reading Then he knew that, in the intensity of emotion that shook him body and brain, there was a thrill of joy, inexplicable but insistent.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
set up or found
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
a long fixed look
From this reading She approached--their gaze met--he had bowed, and passed her.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She approached--their gaze met--he had bowed, and passed her.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She approached--their gaze met--he had bowed, and passed her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She approached--their gaze met--he had bowed, and passed her.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
inexplicableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnəkˈsplɪsəbəl/
incapable of being explained or accounted for
From this reading Then he knew that, in the intensity of emotion that shook him body and brain, there was a thrill of joy, inexplicable but insistent.
insistentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstənt/
repetitive and persistent
From this reading Then he knew that, in the intensity of emotion that shook him body and brain, there was a thrill of joy, inexplicable but insistent.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
intensitynounUS /ɪnˈtensəti/
the amount of energy transmitted (as by acoustic or electromagnetic radiation)
From this reading Then he knew that, in the intensity of emotion that shook him body and brain, there was a thrill of joy, inexplicable but insistent.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading Then he knew that, in the intensity of emotion that shook him body and brain, there was a thrill of joy, inexplicable but insistent.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
lastedverbUS /ˈlæstəd/
past form of “last” — persist for a specified period of time
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading She approached--their gaze met--he had bowed, and passed her.
nearnessnoun
the spatial property resulting from a relatively small distance
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
palpitatingadjectiveUS /ˈpælpəteɪtɪŋ/
having a slight and rapid trembling motion
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading She approached--their gaze met--he had bowed, and passed her.
by chance
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
rejoicingnounUS /rɪˈdʒɔɪsɪŋ/
a feeling of great happiness
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She approached--their gaze met--he had bowed, and passed her.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading Then he knew that, in the intensity of emotion that shook him body and brain, there was a thrill of joy, inexplicable but insistent.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading He found a seat and sank into it, staring at the sky and sea, acutely conscious of nothing but her nearness.
swayedverbUS /sweɪd/
past form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
express in words
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading She approached--their gaze met--he had bowed, and passed her.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he knew that, in the intensity of emotion that shook him body and brain, there was a thrill of joy, inexplicable but insistent.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Then he knew that, in the intensity of emotion that shook him body and brain, there was a thrill of joy, inexplicable but insistent.
thrillnounUS /θrɪl/
the swift release of a store of affective force
From this reading Then he knew that, in the intensity of emotion that shook him body and brain, there was a thrill of joy, inexplicable but insistent.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Perhaps it had lasted a second, the mental convulsion in which he looked in her eyes; he did not know.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading He could not tell whether it was despair or rejoicing that beat in him; he knew nothing but that the world had swayed, that life was in an instant palpitating and vivid--that he had seen her!
