used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
(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 There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Everything seemed, as I lay awake, so unnaturally silent.
ashesnounUS /ˈæʃ.ɪz/
The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading Everything seemed, as I lay awake, so unnaturally silent.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
chimneynounUS /ˈtʃɪmni/
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Everything seemed, as I lay awake, so unnaturally silent.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
start firing a weapon
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I tossed and turned, and vainly sought for sleep, now on this side, now on that.
a mental representation of some haunting experience
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
the act of giving
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
gratenounUS /ɡreɪt/
a frame of iron bars to hold a fire
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
immediately past
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Everything seemed, as I lay awake, so unnaturally silent.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I tossed and turned, and vainly sought for sleep, now on this side, now on that.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I tossed and turned, and vainly sought for sleep, now on this side, now on that.
oppressedadjectiveUS /əˈprest/
burdened psychologically or mentally
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
reposeverbUS /riˈpoʊz/
put or confide something in a person or thing
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
rumbleverbUS /ˈrʌmbəl/
make a low noise
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
express in words
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Everything seemed, as I lay awake, so unnaturally silent.
not often
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading I tossed and turned, and vainly sought for sleep, now on this side, now on that.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Everything seemed, as I lay awake, so unnaturally silent.
without speaking
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Everything seemed, as I lay awake, so unnaturally silent.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
that is looked for
From this reading I tossed and turned, and vainly sought for sleep, now on this side, now on that.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I tossed and turned, and vainly sought for sleep, now on this side, now on that.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
tossedverbUS /tɔːst/
past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading I tossed and turned, and vainly sought for sleep, now on this side, now on that.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading I tossed and turned, and vainly sought for sleep, now on this side, now on that.
unnaturallyadverbUS /ənˈnætʃərəli/
in an unnatural way
From this reading Everything seemed, as I lay awake, so unnaturally silent.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
vainlyadverbUS /ˈveɪnli/
to no avail
From this reading I tossed and turned, and vainly sought for sleep, now on this side, now on that.
precisely as stated
From this reading It is very seldom I cannot sleep, but I could not that night.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was something in the intense quiet and repose of the great house, after all the excitement of the last few hours, that oppressed me.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
in or at the place that
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading There was not a sound in the wide grate, where the last ashes of the fire were silently giving up the ghost, not a rumble of wind in the old chimney which had had so much to say the night before.
