used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
abstractionnounUS /æbˈstrækʃən/
a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
anew
From this reading For an instant he stood motionless; then, frowning, again stepped forward, pitching his voice little louder than a whisper.
(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 _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
ascendedverbUS /əˈsendɪd/
past form of “ascend” — travel up
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
on the far side of; further than
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
BrowningnounUS /ˈbraʊnɪŋ/
United States inventor of firearms (especially automatic pistols and repeating rifles and a machine gun called the Peacemaker) (1855-1926)
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
Carleton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
centernounUS /ˈsɛn.tər/
The middle point or core of an area.
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
crouchverbUS /kraʊtʃ/
bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
displeasurenounUS /dɪˈspleʒər/
the feeling of being displeased or annoyed or dissatisfied with someone or something
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
emotionsnounUS /ɪˈmoʊʃənz/
plural of “emotion” — any strong feeling
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
divisible by two
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
floodedadjectiveUS /ˈflʌdəd/
covered with water
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
frowningadjectiveUS /ˈfraʊnɪŋ/
showing displeasure or anger
From this reading For an instant he stood motionless; then, frowning, again stepped forward, pitching his voice little louder than a whisper.
fumbleverbUS /ˈfʌmbəl/
feel about uncertainly or blindly
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
an established custom
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
set afire or burning
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading For an instant he stood motionless; then, frowning, again stepped forward, pitching his voice little louder than a whisper.
louderadjectiveUS /ˈlaʊdər/
comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading For an instant he stood motionless; then, frowning, again stepped forward, pitching his voice little louder than a whisper.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
engage in
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
mechanicaladjectiveUS /məˈkænɪkəl/
using (or as if using) mechanisms or tools or devices
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
medleynounUS /ˈmedli/
a musical composition consisting of a series of songs or other musical pieces from various sources
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
come together
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
a particular point in time
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
not in physical motion
From this reading For an instant he stood motionless; then, frowning, again stepped forward, pitching his voice little louder than a whisper.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
on one occasion
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
pedestaled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
by chance
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
pitchingnounUS /ˈpɪtʃɪŋ/
(baseball) playing the position of pitcher on a baseball team
From this reading For an instant he stood motionless; then, frowning, again stepped forward, pitching his voice little louder than a whisper.
plural of “pocket” — a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading For an instant he stood motionless; then, frowning, again stepped forward, pitching his voice little louder than a whisper.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading For an instant he stood motionless; then, frowning, again stepped forward, pitching his voice little louder than a whisper.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
possessing sweep
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
TEMPTATIONnounUS /temˈteɪʃən/
something that seduces or has the quality to seduce
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading For an instant he stood motionless; then, frowning, again stepped forward, pitching his voice little louder than a whisper.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
in or at that place or location
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
thoughtfullyadverbUS /ˈθɔːtfəli/
in a thoughtful manner
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
someone who visits
From this reading In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading For an instant he stood motionless; then, frowning, again stepped forward, pitching his voice little louder than a whisper.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The lamp on the center table was already lighted, though turned low, and from the shadow beyond, a dark figure rose, and came forward to meet him.
(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 In an instant, he had reached out his hand; the next moment, the lamp light flooded the room; and then, as he recognized his visitor, there swept over his face a medley of emotions--amazement, displeasure, perhaps some other feeling as well.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading For an instant he stood motionless; then, frowning, again stepped forward, pitching his voice little louder than a whisper.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading TEMPTATION "Why comes temptation, but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
in the company of; together with
From this reading _Browning._ Slowly and thoughtfully Carleton ascended the stairs; reached his room; entered it; had even begun, with the mechanical force of habit, to fumble in his pockets for a match--and then, all at once, with a sudden shock of surprise, he awoke from his abstraction.
