used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was only a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall shaft.
Alvirah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It seemed a long way to the brass-trimmed and glistening lantern at the top.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was only a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall shaft.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY They came to the lighthouse.
(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
brass-trimmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed a long way to the brass-trimmed and glistening lantern at the top.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY They came to the lighthouse.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
a small house with a single story
From this reading There was only a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall shaft.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
CRABnounUS /kræb/
decapod having eyes on short stalks and a broad flattened carapace with a small abdomen folded under the thorax and pincers
From this reading CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY They came to the lighthouse.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
at any time
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading There was only a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall shaft.
gallerynounUS /ˈɡæləri/
spectators at a golf or tennis match
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
gauntadjectiveUS /ɡɔːnt/
very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
glisteningadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪsənɪŋ/
reflecting light
From this reading It seemed a long way to the brass-trimmed and glistening lantern at the top.
HARDSHELL
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY They came to the lighthouse.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed a long way to the brass-trimmed and glistening lantern at the top.
lanternnounUS /ˈlæntərn/
light in a transparent protective case
From this reading It seemed a long way to the brass-trimmed and glistening lantern at the top.
lighthousenounUS /ˈlaɪthaʊs/
a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships
From this reading CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY They came to the lighthouse.
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 It seemed a long way to the brass-trimmed and glistening lantern at the top.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY They came to the lighthouse.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
and nothing more
From this reading There was only a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall shaft.
PROVESverbUS /pruːvz/
third-person singular of “prove” — be shown or be found to be
From this reading CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY They came to the lighthouse.
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed a long way to the brass-trimmed and glistening lantern at the top.
shaftnounUS /ʃæft/
a line that forms the length of an arrow pointer
From this reading There was only a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall shaft.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
undergo or be subjected to
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading There was only a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall shaft.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY They came to the lighthouse.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was only a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall shaft.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY They came to the lighthouse.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
very small
From this reading There was only a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall shaft.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY They came to the lighthouse.
the upper part of anything
From this reading It seemed a long way to the brass-trimmed and glistening lantern at the top.
VARIETYnounUS /vərˈaɪəti/
a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
From this reading CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY They came to the lighthouse.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was only a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall shaft.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading It seemed a long way to the brass-trimmed and glistening lantern at the top.
accept gladly
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
whitewashedadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪtwɑːʃt/
coated with whitewash
From this reading There was only a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall shaft.
which person or people
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She certainly could not suffer as Aunt Alvirah did with _her_ back and bones.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading Ruth wondered how the gaunt old woman who came to the door to welcome them could ever climb those many, many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of the shaft.
