used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
anew
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
(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 WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
aughtnounUS /ɔːt/
a quantity of no importance
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
backsnounUS /bæks/
plural of “back” — the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
blowsnounUS /bloʊz/
plural of “blow” — a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
inflected form of “bear” — have
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
confined by bonds
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
cathedralnounUS /kəˈθiːdrəl/
any large and important church
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
chainsnounUS /tʃeɪnz/
metal shackles; for hands or legs
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
churchesnounUS /ˈtʃɜːrtʃɪz/
plural of “church” — one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
collarnounUS /ˈkɑːlər/
a band that fits around the neck and is usually folded over
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
convictsnounUS /ˈkɑːnvɪkts/
plural of “convict” — a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
cordonnounUS /ˈkɔːrdən/
a series of sentinels or of military posts enclosing or guarding some place or thing
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
effaceverbUS /ɪˈfeɪs/
remove completely from recognition or memory
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
one or the other of two
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
at any time
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat
From this reading More months than it had taken to produce the impression which the things had stamped into their flesh.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
hatefuladjectiveUS /ˈheɪtfəl/
evoking or deserving hatred
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
deeply or markedly affected or influenced
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading More months than it had taken to produce the impression which the things had stamped into their flesh.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading More months than it had taken to produce the impression which the things had stamped into their flesh.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
immediately past
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
lividadjectiveUS /ˈlɪvɪd/
anemic looking from illness or emotion
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
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 They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
loopedverbUS /luːpt/
past form of “loop” — move in loops
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
English businessman who created a retail chain (1888-1964)
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
MarseillesnounUS /mɑːrˈsaɪləs/
a port city in southeastern France on the Mediterranean
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
MediterraneannounUS /ˌmedətərˈeɪniən/
the largest inland sea; between Europe and Africa and Asia
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading More months than it had taken to produce the impression which the things had stamped into their flesh.
necksnounUS /neks/
plural of “neck” — the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
bring forth or yield
From this reading More months than it had taken to produce the impression which the things had stamped into their flesh.
raise the level or amount of something
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
rejoiceverbUS /rɪˈdʒɔɪs/
feel happiness or joy
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
shacklesnounUS /ˈʃækəlz/
plural of “shackle” — a restraint that confines or restricts freedom (especially something used to tie down or restrain a prisoner)
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
stampedverbUS /stæmpt/
past form of “stamp” — walk heavily
From this reading More months than it had taken to produce the impression which the things had stamped into their flesh.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
straightenverbUS /ˈstreɪtən/
straighten up or out; make straight
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
strickenadjectiveUS /ˈstrɪkən/
grievously affected especially by disease
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
a state of acute pain
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
carry out
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading More months than it had taken to produce the impression which the things had stamped into their flesh.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading More months than it had taken to produce the impression which the things had stamped into their flesh.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading More months than it had taken to produce the impression which the things had stamped into their flesh.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
unencumberedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnenˈkʌmbərd/
free of encumbrance
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
unisonnounUS /ˈjuːnəsən/
corresponding exactly
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
uplandadjectiveUS /ˈʌplənd/
used of high or hilly country
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
in or at the place that
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They could hold up their heads and straighten the backs which had been bowed so long by the weight of the collar; they could stretch their limbs and rejoice--if such women could ever rejoice again at aught!--that they might raise their arms unencumbered by either steel or iron shackles.
in the company of; together with
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading WITHIN THE WALLS Midnight sounded from the tower of the ancient cathedral of Marseilles--the deep tones of the bell, in unison with all the bells of the other churches in the stricken city, being borne across the upland by the soft breeze from off the Mediterranean to where the women of the cordon stood--and those women were free at last from one awful form of suffering.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
wristsnounUS /rɪsts/
plural of “wrist” — a joint between the distal end of the radius and the proximal row of carpal bones
From this reading The hateful collar was gone from off their necks; the chains that looped and bound them together had fallen from their wrists under the blows of the convicts, and lay in a mass upon the ground.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet, around their necks, around their arms, were impressed livid marks that, if they should live, it would take months to efface.
