used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading No one was abroad, and not even a wind moving.
to or in a foreign country
From this reading No one was abroad, and not even a wind moving.
(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 The freshness and stillness and calmness of all the earth was most sweet.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
blindsnounUS /blaɪndz/
plural of “blind” — people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
breatheverbUS /briːð/
draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
calmnessnounUS /ˈkɑːmnəs/
steadiness of mind under stress
From this reading The freshness and stillness and calmness of all the earth was most sweet.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
cushionnounUS /ˈkʊʃən/
a mechanical damper; absorbs energy of sudden impulses
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
the first light of day
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
dewnounUS /duː/
water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading The freshness and stillness and calmness of all the earth was most sweet.
divisible by two
From this reading No one was abroad, and not even a wind moving.
apart from; not including
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
floatedverbUS /ˈfloʊtəd/
past form of “float” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
freshnessnounUS /ˈfreʃnəs/
the property of being pure and fresh (as if newly made); not stale or deteriorated
From this reading The freshness and stillness and calmness of all the earth was most sweet.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
kneltverbUS /nelt/
inflected form of “kneel” — rest one's weight on one's knees
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The freshness and stillness and calmness of all the earth was most sweet.
not in physical motion
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
in motion
From this reading No one was abroad, and not even a wind moving.
not any; not one
From this reading No one was abroad, and not even a wind moving.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading No one was abroad, and not even a wind moving.
odoursnounUS /ˈoʊdərs/
plural of “odour” — the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading No one was abroad, and not even a wind moving.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
sillnounUS /sɪl/
structural member consisting of a continuous horizontal timber forming the lowest member of a framework or supporting structure
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
sitting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
not in physical motion
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading The freshness and stillness and calmness of all the earth was most sweet.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
ThursdaynounUS /ˈθɜːrzdeɪ/
the fifth day of the week; the fourth working day
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
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 leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
twitternounUS /ˈtwɪtər/
a series of chirps
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
at the time that
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
in or at the place that
From this reading The leaves of the trees hung motionless; except where a bird stirred them; the dawn was growing slowly into day; sweet odours called forth by the dew, floated up to the windows, and the twitter and song of the birds floated in.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading No one was abroad, and not even a wind moving.
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 Faith could not read; she knelt upon a low cushion at the open window and leaned her arms upon the sill to look out, and breathe, and think and pray.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading It was very early indeed in the still sweet morning of Thursday, when Faith threw open the windows and blinds of the sitting-room.
