used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
assassinnounUS /əˈsæsən/
a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
augmentverbUS /ɔːɡˈment/
enlarge or increase
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
automaticadjectiveUS /ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk/
operating with minimal human intervention; independent of external control
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
bayonetnounUS /ˈbeɪənet/
a knife that can be fixed to the end of a rifle and used as a weapon
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
next to; at the side of
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
burglar's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
ComfortablyadverbUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbli/
in mental comfort; without stress
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
conceivableadjectiveUS /kənˈsiːvəbəl/
capable of being imagined
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
darkenedadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːrkənd/
(of fabrics and paper) grown dark in color over time
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
divisible by two
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
faminenounUS /ˈfæmən/
an acute insufficiency
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
fourteennounUS /ˈfɔːrˈtiːn/
the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
immediately past
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
on one occasion
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
Phœbe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
poisonernoun
someone who kills with poison
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
witty remark
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
cut with a saw
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
screennounUS /skriːn/
a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
soldier'snounUS /ˈsoʊldʒərz/
possessive form of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
stimulatedadjectiveUS /ˈstɪmjəleɪtɪd/
emotionally aroused
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
plural of “thousand” — the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
tortureverbUS /ˈtɔːrtʃər/
torment emotionally or mentally
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
trainedadjectiveUS /treɪnd/
shaped or conditioned or disciplined by training; often used as a combining form
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
wagingverbUS /ˈweɪdʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “wage” — carry on (wars, battles, or campaigns)
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
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 Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
showing sorrow
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
a late time of life
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
