Chapter I

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

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Christmas morning, blue-black, pricked with stars against the Bishop’s window panes.

in the past

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

engaged in or accustomed to close observation

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

(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 Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

Having no one else present.

From this reading The Bishop alone was awake, and against the darkness before his eyes pictures raced.

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

From this reading The Bishop alone was awake, and against the darkness before his eyes pictures raced.

in a state of sleep

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

not in a state of sleep; completely conscious

From this reading The Bishop alone was awake, and against the darkness before his eyes pictures raced.

the act of waking

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The Bishop alone was awake, and against the darkness before his eyes pictures raced.

movement that causes the formation of a curve

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

next to; at the side of

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

a senior member of the Christian clergy having spiritual and administrative authority; appointed in Christian churches to oversee priests or ministers; considered in some churches to be successors of the twelve Apostles of Christ

From this reading The Bishop alone was awake, and against the darkness before his eyes pictures raced.

possessive form of “bishop” — a senior member of the Christian clergy having spiritual and administrative authority; appointed in Christian churches to oversee priests or ministers; considered in some churches to be successors of the twelve Apostles of Christ

From this reading Christmas morning, blue-black, pricked with stars against the Bishop’s window panes.

of black tinged with blue

From this reading Christmas morning, blue-black, pricked with stars against the Bishop’s window panes.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6

From this reading Christmas morning, blue-black, pricked with stars against the Bishop’s window panes.

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

plural of “church” — one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

the body of faculty and students of a college

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading The Bishop alone was awake, and against the darkness before his eyes pictures raced.

the first light of day

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

divisible by two

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

opinion or judgment

From this reading The Bishop alone was awake, and against the darkness before his eyes pictures raced.

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading The pictures fell into the march of a poem.

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

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

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

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

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

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

From this reading The Bishop alone was awake, and against the darkness before his eyes pictures raced.

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

plural of “hymn” — a song of praise (to God or to a saint or to a nation)

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

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

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The pictures fell into the march of a poem.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

march in a procession

From this reading The pictures fell into the march of a poem.

plural of “moment” — a particular point in time

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Christmas morning, blue-black, pricked with stars against the Bishop’s window panes.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

on one occasion

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

plural of “pane” — sheet glass cut in shapes for windows or doors

From this reading Christmas morning, blue-black, pricked with stars against the Bishop’s window panes.

plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading The Bishop alone was awake, and against the darkness before his eyes pictures raced.

a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading The pictures fell into the march of a poem.

a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

possessive form of “poet” — a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

past form of “prick” — make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn

From this reading Christmas morning, blue-black, pricked with stars against the Bishop’s window panes.

past form of “race” — move hurridly

From this reading The Bishop alone was awake, and against the darkness before his eyes pictures raced.

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading Christmas morning, blue-black, pricked with stars against the Bishop’s window panes.

not in physical motion

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

in a strange manner

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

abundantly filled with especially living things

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

plural of “tenement” — a run-down apartment house barely meeting minimal standards

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

past form of “terrace” — provide (a house) with a terrace

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

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

From this reading Christmas morning, blue-black, pricked with stars against the Bishop’s window panes.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

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

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

a cunning or deceitful action or device

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

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

From this reading The Bishop alone was awake, and against the darkness before his eyes pictures raced.

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 Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Westbury lay asleep beside its curving river, the great old houses with gardens that ran terraced to the bank, the churches, the college, even the new teeming tenements at the bending of the water, all lay asleep in the Christmas dawning.

at the time that

From this reading He had been a poet once, so long ago that when sometimes they sang his hymns in church he had forgotten they were his, but he still kept the poet’s trick of thinking in pictures during those strangely alert moments between sleep and full awakening.

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading Christmas morning, blue-black, pricked with stars against the Bishop’s window panes.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Christmas morning, blue-black, pricked with stars against the Bishop’s window panes.