used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After a time they seemed to be going down-hill.
at or in the front
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Far away gleamed a light which grew brighter and brighter every moment.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Far away gleamed a light which grew brighter and brighter every moment.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading After a time they seemed to be going down-hill.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
brighteradjectiveUS /ˈbraɪtər/
comparative of “bright” — emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Far away gleamed a light which grew brighter and brighter every moment.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
down-hill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After a time they seemed to be going down-hill.
dragon'snounUS /ˈdræɡənz/
possessive form of “dragon” — a creature of Teutonic mythology; usually represented as breathing fire and having a reptilian body and sometimes wings
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Far away gleamed a light which grew brighter and brighter every moment.
opinion or judgment
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Far away gleamed a light which grew brighter and brighter every moment.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
arousing or provoking laughter
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
gleamedverbUS /ɡliːmd/
past form of “gleam” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading Far away gleamed a light which grew brighter and brighter every moment.
the act of departing
From this reading After a time they seemed to be going down-hill.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Far away gleamed a light which grew brighter and brighter every moment.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
lampsnounUS /læmps/
plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Far away gleamed a light which grew brighter and brighter every moment.
provided with artificial light
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
a particular point in time
From this reading Far away gleamed a light which grew brighter and brighter every moment.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
rubverbUS /rʌb/
move over something with pressure
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading After a time they seemed to be going down-hill.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading After a time they seemed to be going down-hill.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After a time they seemed to be going down-hill.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Far away gleamed a light which grew brighter and brighter every moment.
WitchnounUS /wɪtʃ/
a female sorcerer or magician
From this reading _The Witch_ SUDDENLY the dragon's eyes lit up as if they were lamps.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading George thought--he was always having funny thoughts now--that if he put his hand out some of the black darkness would rub off on it.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading They could see a little way ahead, but all around it was so dark that you could almost feel it.
