used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
awestruckadjectiveUS /ˈɑːstrʌk/
having or showing a feeling of mixed reverence and respect and wonder and dread
From this reading THE CRIMSON DISK The group in the judge's room was hushed in awestruck silence.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
a senior member of the Christian clergy having spiritual and administrative authority; appointed in Christian churches to oversee priests or ministers; considered in some churches to be successors of the twelve Apostles of Christ
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
make calm or still
From this reading After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
From this reading After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
court-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
CRIMSONadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪmzən/
of a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies
From this reading THE CRIMSON DISK The group in the judge's room was hushed in awestruck silence.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
DISKnounUS /dɪsk/
something with a round shape resembling a flat circular plate
From this reading THE CRIMSON DISK The group in the judge's room was hushed in awestruck silence.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
dramanounUS /ˈdrɑːmə/
a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
expiationnoun
compensation for a wrong
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading THE CRIMSON DISK The group in the judge's room was hushed in awestruck silence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
hushedadjectiveUS /hʌʃt/
in a softened tone
From this reading THE CRIMSON DISK The group in the judge's room was hushed in awestruck silence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE CRIMSON DISK The group in the judge's room was hushed in awestruck silence.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
Jessica
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
determine the result of (a competition)
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
judge'snounUS /ˈdʒʌdʒɪz/
possessive form of “judge” — a public official authorized to decide questions brought before a court of justice
From this reading THE CRIMSON DISK The group in the judge's room was hushed in awestruck silence.
kneltverbUS /nelt/
inflected form of “kneel” — rest one's weight on one's knees
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
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 Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
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 After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
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 The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
murmurnounUS /ˈmɜːrmər/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
panelsnounUS /ˈpænəlz/
plural of “panel” — sheet that forms a distinct (usually flat and rectangular) section or component of something
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
realizationnounUS /ˈriːləˈzeɪʃən/
coming to understand something clearly and distinctly
From this reading After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading THE CRIMSON DISK The group in the judge's room was hushed in awestruck silence.
Sanderson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading THE CRIMSON DISK The group in the judge's room was hushed in awestruck silence.
sobbingnounUS /ˈsɑːbɪŋ/
convulsive gasp made while weeping
From this reading After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
sofanounUS /ˈsoʊfə/
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
in a strange manner
From this reading After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CRIMSON DISK The group in the judge's room was hushed in awestruck silence.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading After the one long, sobbing cry of realization, throughout the excitement and confusion, Jessica had been strangely calm.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE CRIMSON DISK The group in the judge's room was hushed in awestruck silence.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
which person or people
From this reading By the sofa on which lay the man who had made expiation stood the bishop and Harry Sanderson.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Jessica knelt beside it, and the judge and those who stood with him in the background knew that the curtain was falling upon a strange and tangled drama of life and death.
showing curiosity
From this reading The door was shut, but through the panels, from the court-room, came the murmur of many wondering voices.
