AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
affordverbUS /əˈfɔːrd/
be able to spare or give up
From this reading "Or to afford her the least explanation, notwithstanding her devouring grief and distress?"
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "Sir--I cannot," I answered, and shivered slightly.
anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "And you still refuse to hold any communication with her, Peregrine?"
armchairnounUS /ˈɑːrmtʃer/
chair with a support on each side for arms
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
ATprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
austeritynounUS /ˌɔːˈsterɪti/
the trait of great self-denial (especially refraining from worldly pleasures)
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
BLACKBIRDnounUS /ˈblækbərd/
any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
bleakadjectiveUS /bliːk/
offering little or no hope
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Sir--I cannot," I answered, and shivered slightly.
carefullyadverbUS /ˈkerfəli/
taking care or paying attention
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
communicationnounUS /kəˌmjuːnəˈkeɪʃən/
the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information
From this reading "And you still refuse to hold any communication with her, Peregrine?"
CONCERNINGverbUS /kənˈsɜːrnɪŋ/
-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
devouringadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/
(often followed by “for”) ardently or excessively desirous
From this reading "Or to afford her the least explanation, notwithstanding her devouring grief and distress?"
distressnounUS /dɪˈstres/
psychological suffering
From this reading "Or to afford her the least explanation, notwithstanding her devouring grief and distress?"
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "I do, sir."
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
EVENINGnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
explanationnounUS /ˌekspləˈneɪʃən/
a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading "Or to afford her the least explanation, notwithstanding her devouring grief and distress?"
gazenounUS /ɡeɪz/
a long fixed look
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
griefnounUS /ɡriːf/
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
From this reading "Or to afford her the least explanation, notwithstanding her devouring grief and distress?"
helpedverbUS /helpt/
past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "And you still refuse to hold any communication with her, Peregrine?"
holdverbUS /hoʊld/
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "And you still refuse to hold any communication with her, Peregrine?"
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I do, sir."
Jervas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
latticenounUS /ˈlætəs/
an arrangement of points or particles or objects in a regular periodic pattern in 2 or 3 dimensions
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
leastadjectiveUS /liːst/
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading "Or to afford her the least explanation, notwithstanding her devouring grief and distress?"
lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
notwithstandingadverbUS /ˌnɑːtwɪθˈstændɪŋ/
despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)
From this reading "Or to afford her the least explanation, notwithstanding her devouring grief and distress?"
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
OrconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Or to afford her the least explanation, notwithstanding her devouring grief and distress?"
PeregrinenounUS /ˈperəɡriːn/
a widely distributed falcon formerly used in falconry
From this reading "And you still refuse to hold any communication with her, Peregrine?"
refuseverbUS /rəˈfjuːz/
show unwillingness towards
From this reading "And you still refuse to hold any communication with her, Peregrine?"
shiveredverbUS /ˈʃɪvərd/
past form of “shiver” — tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading "Sir--I cannot," I answered, and shivered slightly.
sirnounUS /sɜːr/
term of address for a man
From this reading "I do, sir."
slightlyadverbUS /ˈslaɪtli/
to a small degree or extent
From this reading "Sir--I cannot," I answered, and shivered slightly.
SONGnounUS /sɔːŋ/
a short musical composition with words
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading "And you still refuse to hold any communication with her, Peregrine?"
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
thereafteradverbUS /ðeˈræftər/
from that time on
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
unclenounUS /ˈʌŋkəl/
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading CONCERNING THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT EVENING My uncle Jervas helped me carefully to the armchair by the open lattice and thereafter stood looking down at me with a certain bleak austerity of gaze.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "And you still refuse to hold any communication with her, Peregrine?"
