used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
(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 "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
in a state of sleep
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/
aroused or activated
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
confined by bonds
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
bravelyadverbUS /ˈbreɪvli/
in a courageous manner
From this reading "'No, indeed,' said Milly bravely.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
past form of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
made afraid
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
groannounUS /ɡroʊn/
an utterance expressing pain or disapproval
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
gurgleverbUS /ˈɡɜːrɡəl/
flow in an irregular current with a bubbling noise
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading "'No, indeed,' said Milly bravely.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
and nothing more
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
leapnounUS /liːp/
a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
hear with intention
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
Milly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "'No, indeed,' said Milly bravely.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
not any; not one
From this reading "'No, indeed,' said Milly bravely.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
being perceived or observed
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
nurserynounUS /ˈnɜːrsəri/
a child's room for a baby
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
PetnounUS /pet/
a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
rustlings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "'No, indeed,' said Milly bravely.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
shapesnounUS /ʃeɪps/
plural of “shape” — any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
thresholdnounUS /ˈθreʃoʊld/
the starting point for a new state or experience
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all.
a shaky motion
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
trottedverbUS /ˈtrɑːtɪd/
inflected form of “trot” — run at a moderately swift pace
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
at the time that
From this reading But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound.
