used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
(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 He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading He did not ask how the miracle had befallen.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
befallenverbUS /bəˈfɑːlən/
inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to
From this reading He did not ask how the miracle had befallen.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
coinsnounUS /kɔɪnz/
plural of “coin” — a flat metal piece (usually a disc) used as money
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He did not ask how the miracle had befallen.
plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents
From this reading Dollars! real silver dollars!
dyingadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪɪŋ/
in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
feeblyadverbUS /ˈfiːbli/
in a faint and feeble manner
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
firelightnoun
the light of a fire (especially in a fireplace)
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
foolishlyadverbUS /ˈfuːlɪʃli/
without good sense or judgment
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
set up or found
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
gauntadjectiveUS /ɡɔːnt/
very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He did not ask how the miracle had befallen.
half-way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
heaveverbUS /hiːv/
utter a sound, as with obvious effort
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He did not ask how the miracle had befallen.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
lo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
miraclenounUS /ˈmɪrəkəl/
any amazing or wonderful occurrence
From this reading He did not ask how the miracle had befallen.
in motion
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He did not ask how the miracle had befallen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
pantedverbUS /ˈpæntɪd/
past form of “pant” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
(of games) engaged in
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
past form of “pour” — cause to run
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
raftersnounUS /ˈræftərz/
plural of “rafter” — one of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading Dollars! real silver dollars!
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
shoulder-blades
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading Dollars! real silver dollars!
slidverbUS /slɪd/
inflected form of “slide” — move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
starvingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrvɪŋ/
suffering from lack of food
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
swimmernounUS /ˈswɪmər/
a trained athlete who participates in swimming meets
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
VirginnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/
a person who has never had sex
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was starving; dying in fact, though he did not know it; and lo! he had found a heaven beyond all imagination, and lay in it and panted, at rest.
the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He lay on the flood of wealth, stretched like a swimmer, his fingers feebly moving among the coins which slid and poured over the back of his hands.
belonging to which person
From this reading The firelight played on the heave and fall of his gaunt shoulder-blades, and on the glass eyes of the Virgin, whose head had rolled half-way across the floor and lay staring up foolishly at the rafters.
