used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading And he tried to find something to say that would help clear her eyes of the agony that was in them.
Alan's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A slow smile twisted his lips, but he did not know he smiled.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
rid of obstructions
From this reading And he tried to find something to say that would help clear her eyes of the agony that was in them.
coarsenedadjective
made coarse or crude by lack of skill
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
motivation deriving logically from ethical or moral principles that govern a person's thoughts and actions
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading A slow smile twisted his lips, but he did not know he smiled.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading He pulled himself together without letting her see the physical part of the effort it was taking.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
opinion or judgment
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
fiendishadjectiveUS /ˈfiːndɪʃ/
extremely evil or cruel; expressive of cruelty or befitting hell
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading And he tried to find something to say that would help clear her eyes of the agony that was in them.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
GrahamnounUS /ˈɡreɪəm/
United States evangelical preacher famous as a mass evangelist (born in 1918)
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading And he tried to find something to say that would help clear her eyes of the agony that was in them.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He pulled himself together without letting her see the physical part of the effort it was taking.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
impossibilitynounUS /ˌɪmpɔːsɪˈbɪlɪti/
incapability of existing or occurring
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
incongruitynounUS /ˌɪŋkɔːŋˈruːɪti/
the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
iniquities
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
iron-man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He pulled himself together without letting her see the physical part of the effort it was taking.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading A slow smile twisted his lips, but he did not know he smiled.
property that is leased or rented out or let
From this reading He pulled himself together without letting her see the physical part of the effort it was taking.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading A slow smile twisted his lips, but he did not know he smiled.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
monstrousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːnstrəs/
abnormally large
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
mésalliance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading A slow smile twisted his lips, but he did not know he smiled.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading He pulled himself together without letting her see the physical part of the effort it was taking.
involving the body as distinguished from the mind or spirit
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
pitilessadjectiveUS /ˈpɪtiləs/
without mercy or pity
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
possession of controlling influence
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading He pulled himself together without letting her see the physical part of the effort it was taking.
past form of “reveal” — make visible
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
cut with a saw
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
express in words
From this reading And he tried to find something to say that would help clear her eyes of the agony that was in them.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He pulled himself together without letting her see the physical part of the effort it was taking.
shadow-hulk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading A slow smile twisted his lips, but he did not know he smiled.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading A slow smile twisted his lips, but he did not know he smiled.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading A slow smile twisted his lips, but he did not know he smiled.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading And he tried to find something to say that would help clear her eyes of the agony that was in them.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
StandishnounUS /ˈstændɪʃ/
English colonist in America; leader of the Pilgrims in the early days of the Plymouth Colony (1584-1656)
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading He pulled himself together without letting her see the physical part of the effort it was taking.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading And he tried to find something to say that would help clear her eyes of the agony that was in them.
a special situation
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading He pulled himself together without letting her see the physical part of the effort it was taking.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading And he tried to find something to say that would help clear her eyes of the agony that was in them.
twistedadjectiveUS /ˈtwɪstɪd/
having an intended meaning altered or misrepresented
From this reading A slow smile twisted his lips, but he did not know he smiled.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Alan’s first thought was of the monstrous incongruity of the thing, the almost physical impossibility of a mésalliance of the sort Mary Standish had revealed to him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading And he tried to find something to say that would help clear her eyes of the agony that was in them.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading He saw her, young and beautiful, with face and eyes that from the beginning had made him feel all that was good and sweet in life, and behind her he saw the shadow-hulk of John Graham, the pitiless iron-man, without conscience and without soul, coarsened by power, fiendish in his iniquities, and old enough to be her father!
