used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
anew
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
(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 She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
armornounUS /ˈɑːrmər/
protective covering made of metal and used in combat
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
Bah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
Beatriz
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
bed-curtains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading And closing her eyes she tried to sleep,--but her effort to compose herself was in vain.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
composeverbUS /kəmˈpoʊz/
form the substance of
From this reading And closing her eyes she tried to sleep,--but her effort to compose herself was in vain.
crisesnounUS /ˈkraɪsiz/
plural of “crisis” — an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
dilationnounUS /ˌdaɪˈleɪʃən/
a lengthy discussion (spoken or written) on a particular topic
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
diverseadjectiveUS /daɪˈvɜːrs/
many and different
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading And closing her eyes she tried to sleep,--but her effort to compose herself was in vain.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
opinion or judgment
From this reading And closing her eyes she tried to sleep,--but her effort to compose herself was in vain.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
a long fixed look
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
ghost-story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading And closing her eyes she tried to sleep,--but her effort to compose herself was in vain.
hitheradverbUS /ˈhɪðər/
an old word meaning “to this place”
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
impenetrableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpenətrəbəl/
not admitting of penetration or passage into or through
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
kinsfolknoun
people descended from a common ancestor
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
a particular point in time
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
in motion
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
easily agitated
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
noisesnounUS /ˈnɔɪzɪz/
plural of “noise” — sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
pillownounUS /ˈpɪloʊ/
a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
pupilsnounUS /ˈpjuːpəlz/
plural of “pupil” — a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
satinnounUS /ˈsætən/
a smooth fabric of silk or rayon; has a glossy face and a dull back
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
cut with a saw
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
shapesnounUS /ʃeɪps/
plural of “shape” — any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading And closing her eyes she tried to sleep,--but her effort to compose herself was in vain.
stiffeningnounUS /ˈstɪfənɪŋ/
the act of becoming stiff
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
in or at that place or location
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
thitheradverbUS /ˈðɪθɜːr/
an old word meaning “to that place”
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading She heard a thousand diverse noises; she passed her hand across her brow and listened again; nothing, silence.
push forcefully
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
thumpverbUS /θʌmp/
move rhythmically
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
timidadjectiveUS /ˈtɪmɪd/
showing fear and lack of confidence
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And closing her eyes she tried to sleep,--but her effort to compose herself was in vain.
a shaky motion
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading And closing her eyes she tried to sleep,--but her effort to compose herself was in vain.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading And closing her eyes she tried to sleep,--but her effort to compose herself was in vain.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
at the time that
From this reading She saw, with that dilation of the pupils common in nervous crises, dim shapes moving hither and thither all about the room, but when she fixed her gaze on any one point, there was nothing but darkness and impenetrable shadows.
belonging to which person
From this reading “Bah!” she exclaimed, again resting her beautiful head upon her blue satin pillow, “am I as timid as these poor kinsfolk of mine, whose hearts thump with terror under their armor when they hear a ghost-story?”
in the company of; together with
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
but in spite of that
From this reading Beatriz, stiffening with fear, yet trembling, thrust her head out from the bed-curtains and listened a moment.
