used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading There were moments when she was terribly afraid of her father, and such a moment came to her now.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
Areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Are you not asleep, Israel Kensky?" she faltered.
in a state of sleep
From this reading "Are you not asleep, Israel Kensky?" she faltered.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading There were moments when she was terribly afraid of her father, and such a moment came to her now.
corridornounUS /ˈkɔːrədər/
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
creakingnounUS /ˈkriːkɪŋ/
a squeaking sound
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
a female human offspring
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
dozingverbUS /ˈdoʊzɪŋ/
-ing form of “doze” — sleep lightly or for a short period of time
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
the wife of a duke or a woman holding ducal title in her own right
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
falteredverbUS /ˈfɑːltərd/
past form of “falter” — be unsure or weak
From this reading "Are you not asleep, Israel Kensky?" she faltered.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading There were moments when she was terribly afraid of her father, and such a moment came to her now.
start firing a weapon
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading There were moments when she was terribly afraid of her father, and such a moment came to her now.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
IRENE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
IsraelnounUS /ˈɪzriəl/
Jewish republic in southwestern Asia at eastern end of Mediterranean; formerly part of Palestine
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
Kensky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
a particular point in time
From this reading There were moments when she was terribly afraid of her father, and such a moment came to her now.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading There were moments when she was terribly afraid of her father, and such a moment came to her now.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Are you not asleep, Israel Kensky?" she faltered.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading There were moments when she was terribly afraid of her father, and such a moment came to her now.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
in the near future
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
with low volume
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
stairnounUS /ster/
support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading There were moments when she was terribly afraid of her father, and such a moment came to her now.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
terriblyadverbUS /ˈterəbli/
used as intensifiers
From this reading There were moments when she was terribly afraid of her father, and such a moment came to her now.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were moments when she was terribly afraid of her father, and such a moment came to her now.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading He walked softly to the door and listened, and presently he heard the steps of his daughter passing along the corridor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were moments when she was terribly afraid of her father, and such a moment came to her now.
at the time that
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He opened the door suddenly and stepped out, and she jumped back with a little cry of alarm.
wokeverbUS /woʊk/
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading THE GRAND DUCHESS IRENE Israel Kensky was dozing before the fire when the sound of the creaking stair woke him.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Are you not asleep, Israel Kensky?" she faltered.
