used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
anew
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
beastlyadjectiveUS /ˈbiːstliː/
(informal) very unpleasant
From this reading We’d better hurry on and do those beastly five miles to the inn.”
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading We’d better hurry on and do those beastly five miles to the inn.”
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
blindedadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪd/
deprived of sight
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
blunderedverbUS /ˈblʌndərd/
past form of “blunder” — commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
the two together, not just one
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
confusesverbUS /kənˈfjuːzɪz/
third-person singular of “confuse” — mistake one thing for another
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
distractedlyadverb
in a distracted manner
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading We’d better hurry on and do those beastly five miles to the inn.”
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading We’d better hurry on and do those beastly five miles to the inn.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
fro
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
to a considerable degree
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry
From this reading We’d better hurry on and do those beastly five miles to the inn.”
hurryingadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːriɪŋ/
moving with great haste
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m rested now.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers
From this reading We’d better hurry on and do those beastly five miles to the inn.”
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
and nothing more
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading We’d better hurry on and do those beastly five miles to the inn.”
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I’m rested now.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading We’d better hurry on and do those beastly five miles to the inn.”
and nothing more
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
recollectionnounUS /ˌrekəˈlekʃən/
the ability to recall past occurrences
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
reconnoitred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
move hurridly
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
scuttlingverbUS /ˈskʌtəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “scuttle” — to move about or proceed hurriedly
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
plural of “sens” — street names for marijuana
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
smotheringadjectiveUS /ˈsmʌðərɪŋ/
causing difficulty in breathing especially through lack of fresh air and presence of heat
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
having a supporting base
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading We’d better hurry on and do those beastly five miles to the inn.”
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
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 There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
plural of “wall” — 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 There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
We'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We’d better hurry on and do those beastly five miles to the inn.”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
at the time that
From this reading What happened next confuses me when I try to think of it, for my only recollection is of hurrying distractedly to and fro between his bedroom and my own.
in or at the place that
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was a rush and scuttling in the darkness, and then I blundered heavily against walls or furniture or both, and the darkness rose up over my mind with a smothering thick curtain that blinded everything ... and I came to my senses in the open road, my friend standing over me, enormous in the dusk, and the bit of broken wall where he had rested while I reconnoitred, just behind us.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading The moon was rising, the air was damp and chill, and he was shouting in my ear, “I thought you were never coming back again.
