used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
with anger
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
appliedadjectiveUS /əˈplaɪd/
concerned with concrete problems or data rather than with fundamental principles
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
BeethovennounUS /ˈbeɪtoʊvən/
German composer of instrumental music (especially symphonic and chamber music); continued to compose after he lost his hearing (1770-1827)
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
Betty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
in a close relation or position in time or space
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
persuaded of; very sure
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
diminishingadjectiveUS /dɪˈmɪnɪʃɪŋ/
becoming smaller or less or appearing to do so
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
having the place or position changed
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
echoverbUS /ˈekoʊ/
to say again or imitate
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
eerieadjectiveUS /ˈɪri/
suggestive of the supernatural; mysterious
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
extinguishedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/
of a conditioned response; caused to die out because of the absence or withdrawal of reinforcement
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
the organ of sight
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
flowingnounUS /ˈfloʊɪŋ/
the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
a young female
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
glidedverbUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪd/
past form of “glide” — move smoothly and effortlessly
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
glimmered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
gropingadjectiveUS /ˈɡroʊpɪŋ/
acting with uncertainty or hesitance or lack of confidence
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
groupedadjectiveUS /ɡruːpt/
arranged into groups
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
heartbeatsnounUS /ˈhɑːrtbiːts/
plural of “heartbeat” — the rhythmic contraction and expansion of the arteries with each beat of the heart
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
hidingnounUS /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of keeping something secret
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
interminableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɜːrmənəbəl/
tiresomely long; seemingly without end
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
immediately past
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
in order that something should not happen
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
not in physical motion
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
not any; not one
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
on one occasion
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
a word picture of a person's appearance and character
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
procuredverbUS /proʊˈkjʊrd/
past form of “procure” — get by special effort
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
radiancenounUS /ˈreɪdiːəns/
the amount of electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
smokersnounUS /ˈsmoʊkərz/
plural of “smoker” — a person who smokes tobacco
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
softly-closing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
somnambulistnoun
someone who walks about in their sleep
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
sputteredverbUS /ˈspʌtərd/
past form of “sputter” — make an explosive sound
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
be standing; be upright
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
stilledverbUS /stɪld/
past form of “still” — make calm or still
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
(sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
threadedadjectiveUS /ˈθredɪd/
(of bolts or screws) having screw threads
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
having come into contact
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
unerringlyadverb
without making errors
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
past form of “venture” — proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
precisely as stated
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
visitationnounUS /ˌvɪzɪˈteɪʃən/
an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
weirdadjectiveUS /wɪrd/
suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Its flame sputtered angrily in her fingers as she applied it to her candle and she glanced about her in fresh terror lest its stroke had been heard, but the shadows were empty.
a Caucasian
From this reading _The Portrait of Beethoven._ Betty held her breath as the tall figure in flowing white threaded its way unerringly among the grouped furniture and passing her so closely that she might have stretched forth her hand and touched it, glided through the doorway and up the stairs.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The light she carried glimmered with diminishing radiance until it was suddenly extinguished and there came the echo of a softly-closing door.
witnessedverbUS /ˈwɪtnəst/
past form of “witness” — be a witness to
From this reading At last, convinced that the somnambulist had settled once more to rest and that no eye but her own had witnessed the weird visitation, Betty ventured from her hiding place, and groping her way to the smokers' stand, procured a match.
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading The girl waited motionless, her very heartbeats stilled for an interminable length of time, but the house remained wrapped in utter darkness and no sound disturbed the eerie silence.
