used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
anew
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
Barry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
confidentadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnfədənt/
having or marked by confidence or assurance
From this reading Yes, those were the facts, he felt fairly confident.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
CumberlandnounUS /ˈkʌmbərlənd/
English general; son of George II; fought unsuccessfully in the battle of Fontenoy (1721-1765)
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
EgyptiannounUS /ɪˈdʒɪpʃən/
a native or inhabitant of Egypt
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
plural of “fact” — a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading Yes, those were the facts, he felt fairly confident.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading Yes, those were the facts, he felt fairly confident.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Yes, those were the facts, he felt fairly confident.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
not accessible to view
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
a particular point in time
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
the light of the Moon
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
obscuredverbUS /əbsˈkjʊrd/
past form of “obscure” — make less visible or unclear
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
go across or through
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
patientlyadverbUS /ˈpeɪʃəntli/
with patience; in a patient manner
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
pillarnounUS /ˈpɪlər/
a fundamental principle or practice
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
priestessnounUS /ˈpriːstəs/
a woman priest
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
with speed
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Something was wrong.
having a supporting base
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
successive (without a break)
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
utter obscenities or profanities
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Yes, those were the facts, he felt fairly confident.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
precisely as stated
From this reading Very slowly Barry Cumberland opened his eyes--took one look straight before him--and then shut them again quickly.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading In the moonlight he had seen a beautiful priestess standing at this window; and he had been waiting patiently--patiently--for a black cloud to pass, a cloud that had suddenly obscured the moon and hidden the slender figure.
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 He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Something was wrong.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Yes, those were the facts, he felt fairly confident.
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 He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He could swear he had been sitting but a moment before with his back against the giant pillar of an Ancient Egyptian building, staring at a window high up in a temple wall.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading Something was wrong.
an affirmative
From this reading Yes, those were the facts, he felt fairly confident.
