used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
anew
From this reading Soon, on the wave of a light-swinging breath, it drooped into sleep again.
(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 its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading The baby opened its eyes and said: "I am hungry."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The baby opened its eyes and said: "I am hungry."
weapons considered collectively
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading The baby opened its eyes and said: "I am hungry."
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Soon, on the wave of a light-swinging breath, it drooped into sleep again.
of short duration or distance
From this reading Nothing moved in the silent, shadowy room, and the baby repeated its brief inarticulate cry.
either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading Nothing moved in the silent, shadowy room, and the baby repeated its brief inarticulate cry.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
droopedverbUS /druːpt/
past form of “droop” — droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness
From this reading Soon, on the wave of a light-swinging breath, it drooped into sleep again.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The baby opened its eyes and said: "I am hungry."
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food
From this reading The baby opened its eyes and said: "I am hungry."
hurryingadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːriɪŋ/
moving with great haste
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The baby opened its eyes and said: "I am hungry."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Nothing moved in the silent, shadowy room, and the baby repeated its brief inarticulate cry.
inarticulateadjectiveUS /ˌɪnɑːrˈtɪkjələt/
without or deprived of the use of speech or words
From this reading Nothing moved in the silent, shadowy room, and the baby repeated its brief inarticulate cry.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Soon, on the wave of a light-swinging breath, it drooped into sleep again.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The baby opened its eyes and said: "I am hungry."
set down according to a plan
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
light-swinging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Soon, on the wave of a light-swinging breath, it drooped into sleep again.
mildadjectiveUS /maɪld/
moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Nothing moved in the silent, shadowy room, and the baby repeated its brief inarticulate cry.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing moved in the silent, shadowy room, and the baby repeated its brief inarticulate cry.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Soon, on the wave of a light-swinging breath, it drooped into sleep again.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading The baby opened its eyes and said: "I am hungry."
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
recurring again and again
From this reading Nothing moved in the silent, shadowy room, and the baby repeated its brief inarticulate cry.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Nothing moved in the silent, shadowy room, and the baby repeated its brief inarticulate cry.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading The baby opened its eyes and said: "I am hungry."
senselessadjectiveUS /ˈsensləs/
not marked by the use of reason
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
shadowyadjectiveUS /ˈʃædoʊi/
filled with shade
From this reading Nothing moved in the silent, shadowy room, and the baby repeated its brief inarticulate cry.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Nothing moved in the silent, shadowy room, and the baby repeated its brief inarticulate cry.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Soon, on the wave of a light-swinging breath, it drooped into sleep again.
in the near future
From this reading Soon, on the wave of a light-swinging breath, it drooped into sleep again.
soothedverbUS /suːðd/
past form of “soothe” — give moral or emotional strength to
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
sweet-sounding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
a tendency to express warm and affectionate feeling
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
tepidadjectiveUS /ˈtepɪd/
moderately warm
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The baby opened its eyes and said: "I am hungry."
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading Soon, on the wave of a light-swinging breath, it drooped into sleep again.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
the words that are spoken
From this reading There were hurrying footsteps; light arms raised it, and a laughing voice soothed it with senseless, sweet-sounding words.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Then its cheek was laid on a cool young breast, and all was tepid tenderness and mild delight.
