used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
perfect or complete or pure
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
anew
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading There was no movement, no sound of breath or whisper from the old man at his back.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading There was no movement, no sound of breath or whisper from the old man at his back.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
buttverbUS /bʌt/
lie adjacent to another or share a boundary
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
echoverbUS /ˈekoʊ/
to say again or imitate
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
expectancynounUS /ɪkˈspektənsi/
an expectation
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
faintlyadverbUS /ˈfeɪntli/
to a faint degree or weakly perceived
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
gargoylenounUS /ˈɡɑːrɡɔɪl/
a spout that terminates in a grotesquely carved figure of a person or animal
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
a long fixed look
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
grippedverbUS /ɡrɪpt/
inflected form of “grip” — hold fast or firmly
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
only a very short time before
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
involuntarilyadverbUS /ˌɪnvoʊˈlʌntərɪli/
against your will
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
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 In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
immediately past
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
held up in the air
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
a particular point in time
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading There was no movement, no sound of breath or whisper from the old man at his back.
in motion
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
nervenounUS /nɜːrv/
any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no movement, no sound of breath or whisper from the old man at his back.
ObadiahnounUS /ˌoʊbəˈdaɪə/
a Hebrew minor prophet
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There was no movement, no sound of breath or whisper from the old man at his back.
penetratingadjectiveUS /ˈpenətreɪtɪŋ/
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
pistolnounUS /ˈpɪstəl/
a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
PlumadverbUS /plʌm/
exactly
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
with speed
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
rigidadjectiveUS /ˈrɪdʒəd/
incapable of or resistant to bending
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
straightenedverbUS /ˈstreɪtənd/
past form of “straighten” — straighten up or out; make straight
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
strainedadjectiveUS /streɪnd/
lacking natural ease
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
tensionnounUS /ˈtenʃən/
(psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
in or at that place or location
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
tollingverbUS /ˈtoʊlɪŋ/
-ing form of “toll” — ring slowly
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
unintelligibleadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪnˈtelədʒəbəl/
poorly articulated or enunciated, or drowned by noise
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In the moment of absolute silence that followed there came to him, faintly, a sound, unintelligible at first, but growing in volume until he knew that it was the last echo of a tolling bell.
at the time that
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading His companion involuntarily gripped the butt of his pistol and faced the narrow entrance through which they had come.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading There was no movement, no sound of breath or whisper from the old man at his back.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But when it came again, floating to him as if from a vast distance, he turned quickly to find Obadiah Price with his face lifted, his thin arms flung wide above his head and his lips moving as if in prayer.
plural of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
the words that are spoken
From this reading THE SEVEN WIVES Hardly had the words fallen from the lips of Obadiah Price than the old man straightened himself and stood as rigid as a gargoyle, his gaze penetrating into the darkness of the room beyond Captain Plum, his head inclined slightly, every nerve in him strained to a tension of expectancy.
