Chapter XVII

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

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

a bottomless gulf or pit; any unfathomable (or apparently unfathomable) cavity or chasm or void extending below (often used figuratively)

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

later than; following

From this reading But in the human dummy, when consciousness is swooning, there is a something which looks after that last chance.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

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

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

any thing at all

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

operating with minimal human intervention; independent of external control

From this reading Automatic twitchings to those who watched her, without a cry—lest a cry, should cut the last chance!

hard close-grained wood of any of various birch trees; used especially in furniture and interior finishes and plywood

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

a collection of things wrapped or boxed together

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading Automatic twitchings to those who watched her, without a cry—lest a cry, should cut the last chance!

a covering designed to be worn on a person's body

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation

From this reading But in the human dummy, when consciousness is swooning, there is a something which looks after that last chance.

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading Automatic twitchings to those who watched her, without a cry—lest a cry, should cut the last chance!

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading Automatic twitchings to those who watched her, without a cry—lest a cry, should cut the last chance!

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

a person who does not talk

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

the boundary of a surface

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

an angular or rounded shape made by folding

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

a young female

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

shoot down, of birds

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

a person who cares for persons or property

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

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

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

lacking in or deprived of strength or power

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

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

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

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

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

characteristic of humanity

From this reading But in the human dummy, when consciousness is swooning, there is a something which looks after that last chance.

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

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

belonging to the class of nouns denoting nonliving things

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

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

From this reading But in the human dummy, when consciousness is swooning, there is a something which looks after that last chance.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

immediately past

From this reading Automatic twitchings to those who watched her, without a cry—lest a cry, should cut the last chance!

the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

in order that something should not happen

From this reading Automatic twitchings to those who watched her, without a cry—lest a cry, should cut the last chance!

either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading But in the human dummy, when consciousness is swooning, there is a something which looks after that last chance.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

using (or as if using) mechanisms or tools or devices

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

a person who is markedly small

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

tiny leafy-stemmed flowerless plants

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

above and across; more than

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

a very steep cliff

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

with speed

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

the trait of giving little thought to danger

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

an act of economizing; reduction in cost

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Automatic twitchings to those who watched her, without a cry—lest a cry, should cut the last chance!

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

a thing, without saying which

From this reading But in the human dummy, when consciousness is swooning, there is a something which looks after that last chance.

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

inferior in size or quality

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

weak and likely to lose consciousness

From this reading But in the human dummy, when consciousness is swooning, there is a something which looks after that last chance.

the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

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

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

in or at that place or location

From this reading But in the human dummy, when consciousness is swooning, there is a something which looks after that last chance.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Automatic twitchings to those who watched her, without a cry—lest a cry, should cut the last chance!

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

From this reading Automatic twitchings to those who watched her, without a cry—lest a cry, should cut the last chance!

a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

precisely as stated

From this reading Over the first fold of the terrible lip, in the very teeth of the precipice, earth-embedded, there grew a little tree—a stunted little midget of a birch tree.

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

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading Automatic twitchings to those who watched her, without a cry—lest a cry, should cut the last chance!

at the time that

From this reading But in the human dummy, when consciousness is swooning, there is a something which looks after that last chance.

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

From this reading But in the human dummy, when consciousness is swooning, there is a something which looks after that last chance.

which person or people

From this reading The Lip It was the Guardian who reached her first, almost stepping over the edge of the abyss herself—in her recklessness about anything but saving the girl.

marked by extreme lack of restraint or control

From this reading So quickly, had that girl rolled down the moss-seamed rock, a dummy—a bundle of inanimate clothing—that such wild clutchings as her poor hands made at moss and grass and helpless leaf seemed but mechanical twitchings!

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Automatic twitchings to those who watched her, without a cry—lest a cry, should cut the last chance!