used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
(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 I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
authoritiesnounUS /əˈθɔːrətiz/
the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
awhileadverbUS /əˈwaɪl/
for a short time
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
brightlyadverbUS /ˈbraɪtli/
with brightness
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
a game played with playing cards
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
cautiousadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːʃəs/
showing careful forethought
From this reading I took a cautious peek.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading Oh, my native country!
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
dejectedlyadverb
in a dejected manner
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
murmuringnounUS /ˈmɜːrmərɪŋ/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
From this reading Oh, my native country!
immediately following in time or order
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
being perceived or observed
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading Oh, my native country!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
peeknounUS /piːk/
a secret look
From this reading I took a cautious peek.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
a light shade of red
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
shuttersnounUS /ˈʃʌtərz/
plural of “shutter” — a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
sortingnounUS /ˈsɔːrtɪŋ/
an operation that segregates items into groups according to a specified criterion
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
squattingnounUS /ˈskwɑːtɪŋ/
exercising by repeatedly assuming a crouching position with the knees bent; strengthens the leg muscles
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
straightenedverbUS /ˈstreɪtənd/
past form of “straighten” — straighten up or out; make straight
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
the rays of the sun
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading I took a cautious peek.
uniformsnounUS /ˈjuːnəfɔːrmz/
plural of “uniform” — clothing of distinctive design worn by members of a particular group as a means of identification
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
precisely as stated
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Then I noticed a murmuring all about, not like a conversation of a few people, but like the voices of a crowd at some distance.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
at the time that
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
showing curiosity
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading |WHEN I awoke in the morning, the sunlight was shining brightly through the shutters, and I lay awhile getting things straightened out in my mind, wondering what the authorities would do next, and sorting my own cards.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading The yard was full of soldiers of the City Guard in their pink uniforms, all squatting on the ground very dejectedly.
