Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

capable of arousing and holding the attention

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

acted upon; influenced

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

how long something has existed

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

(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 For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

inclined toward or displaying love

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

the season when the leaves fall from the trees

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

plural of “candle” — stick of wax with a wick in the middle

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

prevent from being seen or discovered

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

-ing form of “decay” — lose a stored charge, magnetic flux, or current

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

to a great depth psychologically or emotionally

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

plural of “energy” — (physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

at any time

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

start firing a weapon

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

past form of “flame” — shine with a sudden light

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

inflected form of “fulfil” — put in effect

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

willing to give and share unstintingly

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

destroyed or killed

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

a frame of iron bars to hold a fire

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

past form of “immerse” — thrust or throw into

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

being nothing more than specified

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

belonging to the modern era; since the Middle Ages

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

absolutely essential

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

impressive in appearance

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

plural of “pair” — a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

a strong feeling or emotion

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

deeply absorbed in thought

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

any process in which electrons are added to an atom or ion (as by removing oxygen or adding hydrogen); always occurs accompanied by oxidation of the reducing agent

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

-ing form of “revolve” — turn on or around an axis or a center

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

taking delight in beauty

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

an elderly unmarried woman

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

a simple seat without a back or arms

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

inflected form of “strive” — attempt by employing effort

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

moved around an axis or center

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

coming next after the twentieth in position

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

the sensation caused by heat energy

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading And that afternoon in autumn, the eve of my twenty-first birthday, I was more deeply than ever immersed in amorous dreams.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading I, in my modern costume, sat down between two pairs of candles to the piano in the decaying drawing-room, which like a spinster strove to conceal its age.

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading I turned round on the revolving stool and faced the fire, and felt it on my cheeks, and I asked myself: 'Why am I affected like this?

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading A generous fire flamed in the wide grate behind me: warmth has always been to me the first necessary of life.

in the company of; together with

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.

a late time of life

From this reading For years I had been preoccupied with thoughts of love--and by love I mean a noble and sensuous passion, absorbing the energies of the soul, fulfilling destiny, and reducing all that has gone before it to the level of a mere prelude.