used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the Open There came that night a crisis.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
(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 Longstreet had been out all day, prospecting.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
the act of burning something
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading Howard and Helen were sitting silent upon the cabin doorstep, watching the first stars.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading In the Open There came that night a crisis.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
crisisnounUS /ˈkraɪsəs/
an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty
From this reading In the Open There came that night a crisis.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Longstreet had been out all day, prospecting.
doorstepnounUS /ˈdɔːrstep/
the sill of a door; a horizontal piece of wood or stone that forms the bottom of a doorway and offers support when passing through a doorway
From this reading Howard and Helen were sitting silent upon the cabin doorstep, watching the first stars.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
explosionnounUS /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Howard and Helen were sitting silent upon the cabin doorstep, watching the first stars.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
(Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading Howard and Helen were sitting silent upon the cabin doorstep, watching the first stars.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
HowardnounUS /ˈhaʊərd/
English actor of stage and screen (1893-1943)
From this reading Howard and Helen were sitting silent upon the cabin doorstep, watching the first stars.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the Open There came that night a crisis.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
Longstreet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Longstreet had been out all day, prospecting.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
near-by
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading In the Open There came that night a crisis.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading In the Open There came that night a crisis.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Longstreet had been out all day, prospecting.
prospectingverbUS /ˌprɔːˈspektɪŋ/
-ing form of “prospect” — search for something desirable
From this reading Longstreet had been out all day, prospecting.
restlesslyadverbUS /ˈrestləsli/
in a restless manner
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
Sanchia's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Howard and Helen were sitting silent upon the cabin doorstep, watching the first stars.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading Howard and Helen were sitting silent upon the cabin doorstep, watching the first stars.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading Howard and Helen were sitting silent upon the cabin doorstep, watching the first stars.
suddennessnounUS /ˈsʌdənnəs/
the quality of happening with headlong haste or without warning
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
supremeadjectiveUS /səˈpriːm/
final or last in your life or progress
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the Open There came that night a crisis.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the Open There came that night a crisis.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
in or at that place or location
From this reading In the Open There came that night a crisis.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In Sanchia's near-by tent a candle was burning; they could now and then see her shadow as she moved restlessly about.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Howard and Helen were sitting silent upon the cabin doorstep, watching the first stars.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Howard and Helen were sitting silent upon the cabin doorstep, watching the first stars.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
but in spite of that
From this reading Half expected it had always been, and yet after the familiar fashion of supreme moments it burst upon them with the suddenness of an explosion.
