used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Darkness walled him about.
achedverbUS /eɪkt/
past form of “ache” — feel physical pain
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
apprehensionsnounUS /ˌæprɪˈhenʃənz/
plural of “apprehension” — fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
blacknessnounUS /ˈblæknəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
ceilingnounUS /ˈsiːlɪŋ/
the overhead upper surface of a covered space
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Darkness walled him about.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
divisible by two
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
fathomverbUS /ˈfæðəm/
come to understand
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
futileadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtəl/
producing no result or effect
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There, by the newel-post, he paused.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Darkness walled him about.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading The silence hung inviolate, profound.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
inviolateadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvaɪəlɪt/
(of a woman) having the hymen unbroken
From this reading The silence hung inviolate, profound.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
newel-post
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There, by the newel-post, he paused.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
OverheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading There, by the newel-post, he paused.
concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
pickingnounUS /ˈpɪkɪŋ/
the quantity of a crop that is harvested
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
From this reading The silence hung inviolate, profound.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The silence hung inviolate, profound.
solicitudenounUS /səˈlɪsɪtuːd/
a feeling of excessive concern
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
SpurredverbUS /spɜːrd/
inflected form of “spur” — incite or stimulate
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There, by the newel-post, he paused.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
not known
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
unrewardedadjective
having acquired or gained nothing
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
having passed out of existence
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
walledverbUS /wɔːld/
past form of “wall” — surround with a wall in order to fortify
From this reading Darkness walled him about.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
(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 Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Overhead the steps vanished in a well of blackness; he could not even see the ceiling; his eyes ached with futile effort to fathom the unknown; his ears rang with unrewarded strain of listening.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Spurred by solicitude, the young man put personal apprehensions in his pocket and forgot them, cautiously picking his way through the gloom to the foot of the stairs.
