used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
(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 Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
bluntadjectiveUS /blʌnt/
having a broad or rounded end
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
plural of “body” — the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
breedingnounUS /ˈbriːdɪŋ/
elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression
From this reading The evening had closed gloomily, breeding storm.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading The evening had closed gloomily, breeding storm.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
decreedadjectiveUS /dɪˈkriːd/
fixed or established especially by order or command
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading THE OPEN WINDOW Over the sanatorium on the ridge sleep had descended.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The evening had closed gloomily, breeding storm.
fitfullyadverbUS /ˈfɪtfəli/
in a fitful manner
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
gloomilyadverbUS /ˈɡluːməli/
with gloom
From this reading The evening had closed gloomily, breeding storm.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE OPEN WINDOW Over the sanatorium on the ridge sleep had descended.
a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
humors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
illnessnounUS /ˈɪlnəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
night-lamp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
not any; not one
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE OPEN WINDOW Over the sanatorium on the ridge sleep had descended.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading THE OPEN WINDOW Over the sanatorium on the ridge sleep had descended.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
OverprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading THE OPEN WINDOW Over the sanatorium on the ridge sleep had descended.
realmnounUS /relm/
a domain in which something is dominant
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
ridgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading THE OPEN WINDOW Over the sanatorium on the ridge sleep had descended.
sanatoriumnoun
a hospital for recuperation or for the treatment of chronic diseases
From this reading THE OPEN WINDOW Over the sanatorium on the ridge sleep had descended.
except for; apart from
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
sheet-lightning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
shutternounUS /ˈʃʌtər/
a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
siftedverbUS /ˈsɪftɪd/
past form of “sift” — move as if through a sieve
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading THE OPEN WINDOW Over the sanatorium on the ridge sleep had descended.
slumbered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
soundlyadverbUS /ˈsaʊndli/
deeply or completely
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
stirringnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/
agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading The evening had closed gloomily, breeding storm.
sultryadjectiveUS /ˈsʌltri/
sexually exciting or gratifying
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE OPEN WINDOW Over the sanatorium on the ridge sleep had descended.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
in or at that place or location
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
in or at the place that
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
wideradjectiveUS /ˈwaɪdər/
comparative of “wide” — having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Inside the building all slumbered, soundly or fitfully as health or illness decreed, carrying the humors of the stirring day into the wider realm of sleep.
windlessadjective
without or almost without wind
From this reading The air was sultry and windless, and now and then sheet-lightning threw into blunt relief the dark bodies of the trees.
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 THE OPEN WINDOW Over the sanatorium on the ridge sleep had descended.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading On its broad grounds there was no light of moon or stars, and its chamber windows were dark, save where here and there the soft glow of a night-lamp sifted through a shutter.
