Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

in actual fact

From this reading But what stupefied her more still, what confused her, was that she had actually endured such an attempt.

Having no one else present.

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

the verbal act of requesting

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading But what stupefied her more still, what confused her, was that she had actually endured such an attempt.

invulnerable to fear or intimidation

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But what stupefied her more still, what confused her, was that she had actually endured such an attempt.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

make calm or still

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

get or gather together

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

have the idea for

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment

From this reading But what stupefied her more still, what confused her, was that she had actually endured such an attempt.

plural of “consequence” — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

past form of “dare” — take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

-ing form of “declare” — state emphatically and authoritatively

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

belonging to or having the characteristics of a despot

From this reading Under what despotic influence had she, then, fallen?

free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

past form of “endure” — put up with something or somebody unpleasant

From this reading But what stupefied her more still, what confused her, was that she had actually endured such an attempt.

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

constituting the full quantity or extent; complete

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

opinion or judgment

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

yet to be or coming

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

illusory perception; a common symptom of severe mental disorder

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

to a considerable degree

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

totally unlikely

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading Under what despotic influence had she, then, fallen?

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

and nothing more

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

of very great significance

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

tediously repetitious or lacking in variety

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

communicate vividly

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

get or find back; recover the use of

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

so surprisingly impressive as to stun or overwhelm

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

not in physical motion

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

behave violently, as if in state of a great anger

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

as if struck dumb with astonishment and surprise

From this reading But what stupefied her more still, what confused her, was that she had actually endured such an attempt.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading But what stupefied her more still, what confused her, was that she had actually endured such an attempt.

happening unexpectedly

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But what stupefied her more still, what confused her, was that she had actually endured such an attempt.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Under what despotic influence had she, then, fallen?

in or at that place or location

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.

have a certain weight

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading But what stupefied her more still, what confused her, was that she had actually endured such an attempt.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It was a momentous event which had just suddenly fallen in her life so monotonous and so calm--an inconceivable, startling event, the consequences of which were to weigh heavily upon her entire future.

which person or people

From this reading Staggering still, she was asking herself if she was not the victim of an hallucination, and if really there was a man who had dared to conceive and execute the audacious project of coming thus under the eyes of her mother, of declaring his love, and of asking her in return a solemn engagement.

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading She was in haste to be alone, to recover her self-possession, to collect her thoughts, more scattered than dry leaves by a storm wind.