Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

people who are frustrated and perplexed

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

for the reason that

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

a division of some larger or more complex organization

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

the capital and largest city of Wales

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

a low-lying region in central France

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

travel across or pass over

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

placed crosswise

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

the act of leaving secretly or without explanation

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

capable of being perceived as different or distinct

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

past form of “dodge” — make a sudden movement in a new direction so as to avoid

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

United States politician who proposed that individual territories be allowed to decide whether they would have slavery; he engaged in a famous series of debates with Abraham Lincoln (1813-1861)

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

divisible by two

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

very far away in space or time

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

the act of pounding (delivering repeated heavy blows)

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

only a very short time before

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

an old word meaning “to this place”

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

continue talking or writing in a desultory manner

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

of or relating to or characteristic of or appropriate for children or young people

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

plural of “lane” — a narrow way or road

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

the state of being alone in solitary isolation

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

United States tennis player who dominated women's tennis in the 1920s and 1930s (1905-1998)

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

overgrown with moss

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

not any; not one

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

the middle of the day

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

the hard durable wood of any oak; used especially for furniture and flooring

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

occurring from time to time

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

lacking pathways

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

-ing form of “pervade” — spread or diffuse through

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

most frequent or common

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

cause to become

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

tending to return to an earlier state

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

plural of “scholar” — a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

a building where young people receive education

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

a general conscious awareness

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

past form of “still” — make calm or still

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

agitating a liquid with an implement

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

an old word meaning “to that place”

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

male cat

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

a line or route along which something travels or moves

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

up to a particular time

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river

From this reading Half an hour later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off in the valley behind him.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading He crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog.

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak.

bird with strong claws and a stiff tail adapted for climbing and a hard chisel-like bill for boring into wood for insects

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.