used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading And yet he scarcely knew why he should struggle; the voice of despair still asked him what he had to live for.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading If he had desponded on the night before, it was well nigh despair that he now felt.
go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
clothing in general
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading If he had desponded on the night before, it was well nigh despair that he now felt.
desponded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had desponded on the night before, it was well nigh despair that he now felt.
dewnounUS /duː/
water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
divisible by two
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And yet he scarcely knew why he should struggle; the voice of despair still asked him what he had to live for.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If he had desponded on the night before, it was well nigh despair that he now felt.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If he had desponded on the night before, it was well nigh despair that he now felt.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
icyadjectiveUS /ˈaɪsi/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If he had desponded on the night before, it was well nigh despair that he now felt.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If he had desponded on the night before, it was well nigh despair that he now felt.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading And yet he scarcely knew why he should struggle; the voice of despair still asked him what he had to live for.
moisturenounUS /ˈmɔɪstʃər/
wetness caused by water
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
a particular point in time
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
nighadjectiveUS /naɪ/
not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances
From this reading If he had desponded on the night before, it was well nigh despair that he now felt.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
not any; not one
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading If he had desponded on the night before, it was well nigh despair that he now felt.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
overwhelmverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelm/
overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
precedingadjectiveUS /priˈsiːdɪŋ/
existing or coming before
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
only a very short time before
From this reading And yet he scarcely knew why he should struggle; the voice of despair still asked him what he had to live for.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading And yet he scarcely knew why he should struggle; the voice of despair still asked him what he had to live for.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/
a state of social isolation
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
spreadingnounUS /ˈspredɪŋ/
process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
having a sharp inclination
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
not in physical motion
From this reading And yet he scarcely knew why he should struggle; the voice of despair still asked him what he had to live for.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
with strength or in a strong manner
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading And yet he scarcely knew why he should struggle; the voice of despair still asked him what he had to live for.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading And yet he scarcely knew why he should struggle; the voice of despair still asked him what he had to live for.
voicelessadjectiveUS /ˈvɔɪsləs/
produced without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading He rose slowly, and gazed over the scene around him--the vast, voiceless solitude--and there was no comfort in it.
wanderernounUS /ˈwɑːndərər/
someone who leads a wandering unsettled life
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If he had desponded on the night before, it was well nigh despair that he now felt.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
(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 If he had desponded on the night before, it was well nigh despair that he now felt.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading And yet he scarcely knew why he should struggle; the voice of despair still asked him what he had to live for.
at the time that
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading And yet he scarcely knew why he should struggle; the voice of despair still asked him what he had to live for.
wokeverbUS /woʊk/
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading A heavy dew fell during the night, and when the wanderer, whom we have seen climb that steep hill on the preceding evening, woke on the following day, his clothes were full of moisture, and his limbs felt stiff and weary.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He felt the spirit of desolation spreading its icy influence more and more strongly every moment over his heart, and he knew that if he gave way to it, even in the least, it would overwhelm him entirely, would put out strength and effort, hope, action, life itself.
but in spite of that
From this reading And yet he scarcely knew why he should struggle; the voice of despair still asked him what he had to live for.
