used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
a-stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
adjustverbUS /əˈdʒʌst/
alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard
From this reading A long whistle made her catch up her hat and adjust its elastic under her chin.
move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
alightverbUS /əˈlaɪt/
to come to rest, settle
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The porter had already taken her father’s suit-case and her own to the forward end of the coach.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
blacknessnounUS /ˈblæknəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading A long whistle made her catch up her hat and adjust its elastic under her chin.
the protruding part of the lower jaw
From this reading A long whistle made her catch up her hat and adjust its elastic under her chin.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
teach and supervise (someone); act as a trainer or coach (to), as in sports
From this reading The porter had already taken her father’s suit-case and her own to the forward end of the coach.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
destinationnounUS /ˌdestəˈneɪʃən/
the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
increase twofold
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
drenchingnounUS /ˈdrentʃɪŋ/
the act of making something completely wet
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
elasticadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæstɪk/
capable of resuming original shape after stretching or compression; springy
From this reading A long whistle made her catch up her hat and adjust its elastic under her chin.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The porter had already taken her father’s suit-case and her own to the forward end of the coach.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading The porter had already taken her father’s suit-case and her own to the forward end of the coach.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading The porter had already taken her father’s suit-case and her own to the forward end of the coach.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading A long whistle made her catch up her hat and adjust its elastic under her chin.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A long whistle made her catch up her hat and adjust its elastic under her chin.
life-timenoun
the period during which something is functional (as between birth and death)
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
lightlessadjective
giving no light
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading A long whistle made her catch up her hat and adjust its elastic under her chin.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading A long whistle made her catch up her hat and adjust its elastic under her chin.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
not any; not one
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The porter had already taken her father’s suit-case and her own to the forward end of the coach.
panesnounUS /peɪnz/
plural of “pane” — sheet glass cut in shapes for windows or doors
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
Phœbe's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
porternounUS /ˈpɔːrtər/
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading The porter had already taken her father’s suit-case and her own to the forward end of the coach.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
recoiledverbUS /riˈkɔɪld/
past form of “recoil” — draw back, as with fear or pain
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
sinkingnounUS /ˈsɪŋkɪŋ/
a descent as through liquid (especially through water)
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
smoothedadjectiveUS /smuːðd/
made smooth by ironing
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
stormyadjectiveUS /ˈstɔːrmi/
(especially of weather) affected or characterized by storms or commotion
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
suit-case
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The porter had already taken her father’s suit-case and her own to the forward end of the coach.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The porter had already taken her father’s suit-case and her own to the forward end of the coach.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
in or at that place or location
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The porter had already taken her father’s suit-case and her own to the forward end of the coach.
create by training and teaching
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading A long whistle made her catch up her hat and adjust its elastic under her chin.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A long whistle made her catch up her hat and adjust its elastic under her chin.
wakened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
clean by virtue of having been washed in water
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
at the time that
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading How dark it was out there! how stormy! how lightless after a life-time in a city which, no matter at what hour she might awake, was always alight!
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading A long whistle made her catch up her hat and adjust its elastic under her chin.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Her father had wakened her a little in advance of their stop, and when she had washed her face and smoothed her hair, she had peered through the double glass of a car window a-stream with water—and then recoiled from the panes with a sinking of the heart.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading A rain was drenching the blackness of the night as the New York train reached the small city that was Phœbe’s destination.
