used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
awakeningnounUS /əˈweɪkənɪŋ/
the act of waking
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
bare-footed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
creepingnounUS /ˈkriːpɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
curtainsnounUS /ˈkɜːrtənz/
plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
remove the dust from
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
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 “I knew I was right,” said Loïs.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
hear with intention
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
Loïs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
NADJII
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
noiselesslyadverb
without a sound
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
rattlingnounUS /ˈrætlɪŋ/
a rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders)
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “I knew I was right,” said Loïs.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
except for; apart from
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
the state of being asleep
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
with low volume
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
not in physical motion
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
successive (without a break)
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
in or at that place or location
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I am certain I heard something or some one,” she said to herself, and bent forward to listen.
twitternounUS /ˈtwɪtər/
a series of chirps
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
at the time that
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
in or at the place that
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
a Caucasian
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
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 She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
window-pane
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a few seconds there was silence, save for the twitter of the awakening birds; then there came a slight rattling on the window-pane, as if earth or dust had been thrown.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading NADJII The first grey light of morning was creeping through the white curtains of Loïs’ bedroom, where she was still sleeping, when suddenly, without any apparent reason, she awoke and sat straight up.
wrappernounUS /ˈræpər/
a loose dressing gown for women
From this reading She got out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, bare-footed as she was, went softly across the room to the window; this she opened noiselessly and bent forward.
