used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
acuteadjectiveUS /əˈkjuːt/
having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading But after a while he rose and began to walk up and down.
altarnounUS /ˈɔːltər/
the table in Christian churches where communion is given
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But after a while he rose and began to walk up and down.
ATROPOSnoun
the Greek goddess of fate who cuts the thread of life
From this reading ATROPOS La Vireville reprieved was much less composed than La Vireville condemned.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading But after a while he rose and began to walk up and down.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But after a while he rose and began to walk up and down.
chapel-prison
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
serenely self-possessed and free from agitation especially in times of stress
From this reading ATROPOS La Vireville reprieved was much less composed than La Vireville condemned.
condemnedverbUS /kənˈdemd/
past form of “condemn” — express strong disapproval of
From this reading ATROPOS La Vireville reprieved was much less composed than La Vireville condemned.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
desecratedadjectiveUS /dezəˈkreɪtɪd/
treated with disrespect and contempt
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading But after a while he rose and began to walk up and down.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading The place was so horribly empty now that it was unbearable.
at any time
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
harvestnounUS /ˈhɑːrvəst/
the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
horriblyadverbUS /ˈhɔːrəbli/
of a dreadful kind
From this reading The place was so horribly empty now that it was unbearable.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth
From this reading ATROPOS La Vireville reprieved was much less composed than La Vireville condemned.
immediately past
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading ATROPOS La Vireville reprieved was much less composed than La Vireville condemned.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
lonelinessnounUS /ˈloʊnlinəs/
the state of being alone in solitary isolation
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
morning'snounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/
possessive form of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
used to form the superlative
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
not in physical motion
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading ATROPOS La Vireville reprieved was much less composed than La Vireville condemned.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The place was so horribly empty now that it was unbearable.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The place was so horribly empty now that it was unbearable.
plentifuladjectiveUS /ˈplentəfəl/
existing in great number or quantity
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
preynounUS /preɪ/
a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
relicsnounUS /ˈrelɪks/
plural of “relic” — an antiquity that has survived from the distant past
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
reprieved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ATROPOS La Vireville reprieved was much less composed than La Vireville condemned.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading But after a while he rose and began to walk up and down.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The place was so horribly empty now that it was unbearable.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading ATROPOS La Vireville reprieved was much less composed than La Vireville condemned.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The place was so horribly empty now that it was unbearable.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading For about half an hour, it is true, he sat motionless on the steps of the desecrated altar in the little chapel-prison, a prey to the most acute feeling of loneliness he had ever known in his life.
unbearableadjectiveUS /ənˈberəbəl/
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading The place was so horribly empty now that it was unbearable.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading But after a while he rose and began to walk up and down.
victimsnounUS /ˈvɪktəmz/
plural of “victim” — an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
Vireville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ATROPOS La Vireville reprieved was much less composed than La Vireville condemned.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading But after a while he rose and began to walk up and down.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ATROPOS La Vireville reprieved was much less composed than La Vireville condemned.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading But after a while he rose and began to walk up and down.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The harvest of relics which he had seen last night was this morning a little more plentiful, but most of this morning's victims had taken their last precious things with them to the place of death.
