(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Snow had fallen in the night, and lay almost an inch deep in the yard.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was the difficulty of performing the prison duties, of going beyond her door, and refilling her water-pitcher at the pump.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading It was the difficulty of performing the prison duties, of going beyond her door, and refilling her water-pitcher at the pump.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
put or send forth
From this reading The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
cell-doors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
childishadjectiveUS /ˈtʃaɪldɪʃ/
indicating a lack of maturity
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
chokeverbUS /tʃoʊk/
breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
contrastnounUS /ˈkɑːntræst/
the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
dazzlingadjectiveUS /ˈdæzəlɪŋ/
amazingly impressive; suggestive of the flashing of lightning
From this reading The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading Snow had fallen in the night, and lay almost an inch deep in the yard.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading It was the difficulty of performing the prison duties, of going beyond her door, and refilling her water-pitcher at the pump.
dingyadjectiveUS /ˈdɪndʒi/
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot
From this reading The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
dismaynounUS /dɪˈsmeɪ/
the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading It was the difficulty of performing the prison duties, of going beyond her door, and refilling her water-pitcher at the pump.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading Snow had fallen in the night, and lay almost an inch deep in the yard.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
the act of departing
From this reading It was the difficulty of performing the prison duties, of going beyond her door, and refilling her water-pitcher at the pump.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Snow had fallen in the night, and lay almost an inch deep in the yard.
Henrietta
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
of the present time and place
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
imprisonmentnounUS /ˌɪmˈprɪzənmənt/
putting someone in prison or in jail as lawful punishment
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Snow had fallen in the night, and lay almost an inch deep in the yard.
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading Snow had fallen in the night, and lay almost an inch deep in the yard.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Snow had fallen in the night, and lay almost an inch deep in the yard.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Snow had fallen in the night, and lay almost an inch deep in the yard.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
performingnounUS /pərˈfɔːrmɪŋ/
the performance of a part or role in a drama
From this reading It was the difficulty of performing the prison duties, of going beyond her door, and refilling her water-pitcher at the pump.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading It was the difficulty of performing the prison duties, of going beyond her door, and refilling her water-pitcher at the pump.
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
pumpverbUS /pʌmp/
operate like a pump; move up and down, like a handle or a pedal
From this reading It was the difficulty of performing the prison duties, of going beyond her door, and refilling her water-pitcher at the pump.
refillingnoun
filling again by supplying what has been used up
From this reading It was the difficulty of performing the prison duties, of going beyond her door, and refilling her water-pitcher at the pump.
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading Snow had fallen in the night, and lay almost an inch deep in the yard.
spikedadjectiveUS /spaɪkt/
having a long sharp point
From this reading The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
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 The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
water-pitcher
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the difficulty of performing the prison duties, of going beyond her door, and refilling her water-pitcher at the pump.
at the time that
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
a Caucasian
From this reading The sheet of dazzling white cast the dingy spiked wall and the mean cell-doors into grey relief.
wintersnounUS /ˈwɪntərz/
plural of “winter” — the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading But it was not this contrast, nor the memory of childish winters with their pleasures—though that memory took her by the throat and promised to choke her—that filled her with immediate dismay.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When Henrietta rose on the second morning of her imprisonment, and opened her door and looked out, she met with an unpleasant surprise.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading Snow had fallen in the night, and lay almost an inch deep in the yard.
