used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
anew
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
bewildermentnounUS /bɪˈwɪldərmənt/
confusion resulting from failure to understand
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading His first black and blinding clouds of suspicion slowly subsided before practical and orderly question and cross-question.
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
blindingadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading His first black and blinding clouds of suspicion slowly subsided before practical and orderly question and cross-question.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
make by combining materials and parts
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
chaosnounUS /ˈkeɪɑːs/
a state of extreme confusion and disorder
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
a young person of either sex
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading His first black and blinding clouds of suspicion slowly subsided before practical and orderly question and cross-question.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
cross-questionnoun
a question asked in cross-examination
From this reading His first black and blinding clouds of suspicion slowly subsided before practical and orderly question and cross-question.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
Durkin's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
emergedverbUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒd/
past form of “emerge” — come out into view, as from concealment
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
fabricnounUS /ˈfæbrɪk/
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
factitiousadjectiveUS /fækˈtɪʃəs/
not produced by natural forces
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
haltinglyadverbUS /ˈhɔːltɪŋli/
in a halting manner
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
be the source of pain
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
indeterminateadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈtɜːrmɪnɪt/
not precisely determined or established; not fixed or known in advance
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
become covered with mist
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
mufflingverbUS /ˈmʌflɪŋ/
-ing form of “muffle” — suppress in order to conceal or hide
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
the condition of being essential or indispensable
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
orderlynounUS /ˈɔːrdərli/
a soldier who serves as an attendant to a superior officer
From this reading His first black and blinding clouds of suspicion slowly subsided before practical and orderly question and cross-question.
outwardlyadverbUS /ˈaʊtwərdli/
with respect to the outside
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
a strong feeling or emotion
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
concerned with actual use or practice
From this reading His first black and blinding clouds of suspicion slowly subsided before practical and orderly question and cross-question.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading His first black and blinding clouds of suspicion slowly subsided before practical and orderly question and cross-question.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
a feeling of intense anger
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
readjustmentnounUS /riəˈdʒʌstmənt/
the act of adjusting again (to changed circumstances)
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
SHADOWINGnounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ.ɪŋ/
An advanced language learning technique where a student repeats speech immediately after hearing it.
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
silencesnounUS /ˈsaɪlənsɪz/
plural of “silence” — the state of being silent (as when no one is speaking)
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
estrangement from god
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
a state of social isolation
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
sorelyadverbUS /ˈsɔːrli/
to a great degree
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
submergeverbUS /səbˈmɜːrdʒ/
sink below the surface; go under or as if under water
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
subsidedverbUS /səbˈsaɪdɪd/
past form of “subside” — wear off or die down
From this reading His first black and blinding clouds of suspicion slowly subsided before practical and orderly question and cross-question.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
an impression that something might be the case
From this reading His first black and blinding clouds of suspicion slowly subsided before practical and orderly question and cross-question.
sustainingverbUS /səˈsteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “sustain” — lengthen or extend in duration or space
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
sweepingadjectiveUS /ˈswiːpɪŋ/
taking in or moving over (or as if over) a wide area; often used in combination
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
tangibleadjectiveUS /ˈtændʒəbəl/
perceptible by the senses especially the sense of touch
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Before he could face life again, he felt, he had to build up about him the sustaining fabric of some new and factitious faith.
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
From this reading But as intelligence slowly emerged from the mist and chaos of utter bewilderment, as reason crept haltingly back to her seat, his first blind and indeterminate rage fell away from him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE SHADOWING PAST Durkin's first tangible feeling was a passion to lose and submerge himself in the muffling midnight silences, the silences of those outwardly quiet gardens at heart so old in sin and pain.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
people who are wounded
From this reading He felt the necessity for some sudden and sweeping readjustment, and his cry for solitude was like that of the child wounded in spirit, or that of the wild animal sorely hurt in body.
