used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
(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 All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
archesnounUS /ˈɑːrtʃəz/
plural of “arch” — a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an opening
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading PURGATORY Jim came to himself in purgatory.
cursesnounUS /ˈkɜːrsɪz/
plural of “curse” — profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
dismaladjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/
causing dejection
From this reading All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
morally objectionable behavior
From this reading All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
groanings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Small, heavy windows let in a murky light.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading PURGATORY Jim came to himself in purgatory.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
provoking horror
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading PURGATORY Jim came to himself in purgatory.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
Jim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PURGATORY Jim came to himself in purgatory.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Small, heavy windows let in a murky light.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Small, heavy windows let in a murky light.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
low-roofed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
massiveadjectiveUS /ˈmæsɪv/
imposing in size or bulk or solidity
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
used to form the superlative
From this reading All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
murkyadjectiveUS /ˈmɜːrki/
(of liquids) clouded as with sediment
From this reading Small, heavy windows let in a murky light.
mutteringsnounUS /ˈmʌtərɪŋz/
plural of “muttering” — a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
obstructedadjectiveUS /əbˈstrʌktɪd/
shut off to passage or view or hindered from action
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
PURGATORYnounUS /ˈpɜːrɡətɔːri/
a temporary condition of torment or suffering
From this reading PURGATORY Jim came to himself in purgatory.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Small, heavy windows let in a murky light.
stomachnounUS /ˈstʌmək/
an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion
From this reading All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading PURGATORY Jim came to himself in purgatory.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
wakeningnoun
the act of waking
From this reading It seemed to him that he came slowly out of a dead black sleep into a horrible wakening dream.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
weightsnounUS /weɪts/
plural of “weight” — the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading All about him were dismal groanings, and mutterings, and curses, and a most evil atmosphere, which turned his stomach.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading Small, heavy windows let in a murky light.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was in a vast room, low-roofed, with massive arches which obstructed his view and lay like weights on his brain.
