Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

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

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

consider or hold as true

From this reading She had compelled him to accept her with her mystery as a thing long known.

past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

any specific behavior

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

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

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading She had compelled him to accept her with her mystery as a thing long known.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

past form of “behave” — behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

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 That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

-ing form of “career” — move headlong at high speed

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading And she had carried it off.

inflected form of “compel” — force somebody to do something

From this reading She had compelled him to accept her with her mystery as a thing long known.

a large formal assembly

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

intentionally contemptuous behavior or attitude

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

come together

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

at any time

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

the feeling of lively and cheerful joy

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

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

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

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

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading She had compelled him to accept her with her mystery as a thing long known.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

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

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

apprehended with certainty

From this reading She had compelled him to accept her with her mystery as a thing long known.

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 She had compelled him to accept her with her mystery as a thing long known.

roused to anger

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

From this reading She had compelled him to accept her with her mystery as a thing long known.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading And she had carried it off.

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

in a strange manner

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

the sport of engaging in contests of speed

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

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

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

a feeling of stupefied astonishment

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

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

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

a special situation

From this reading She had compelled him to accept her with her mystery as a thing long known.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

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

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

take (someone) to their seats, as in theaters or auditoriums

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

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

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The stupefaction which had been her first effect had given way to a peculiar excitement and activity of mind.

at the time that

From this reading When he said to himself that Miss Usher had behaved queerly, he meant that she had acted with a fine defiance of convention.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

in the company of; together with

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading That night Ransome was more than ever the prey of thought, if you could call it thought, that mad racing and careering of his brain which followed his encounter with Miss Usher.