used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Everybody knows how dismal are these outskirts of a great city.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But it could scarcely be called dark.
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/
(of a surface) not written or printed on
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it could scarcely be called dark.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading But it could scarcely be called dark.
chargedadjectiveUS /tʃɑːrdʒd/
of a particle or body or system; having a net amount of positive or negative electric charge
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Everybody knows how dismal are these outskirts of a great city.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
confusingadjectiveUS /kənˈfjuːzɪŋ/
causing confusion or disorientation
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But it could scarcely be called dark.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
dismaladjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/
causing dejection
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
environsnounUS /ɪnˈvaɪrənz/
the area in which something exists or lives
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
every person
From this reading Everybody knows how dismal are these outskirts of a great city.
United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
the act of departing
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Everybody knows how dismal are these outskirts of a great city.
half-built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
not accessible to view
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody knows how dismal are these outskirts of a great city.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But it could scarcely be called dark.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
From this reading Everybody knows how dismal are these outskirts of a great city.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
for more time
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
become covered with mist
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
not any; not one
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
OctobernounUS /ɑːkˈtoʊbər/
the month following September and preceding November
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
outskirtsnounUS /ˈaʊtskɜːrts/
outlying areas (as of a city or town)
From this reading Everybody knows how dismal are these outskirts of a great city.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
pallidadjectiveUS /ˈpæləd/
abnormally deficient in color as suggesting physical or emotional distress
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
a person who requires medical care
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
only a very short time before
From this reading But it could scarcely be called dark.
in or at or to some place
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
spacesnounUS /ˈspeɪsəz/
plural of “space” — the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
suburbnounUS /ˈsʌbərb/
a residential district located on the outskirts of a city
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Everybody knows how dismal are these outskirts of a great city.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
vapournoun
a visible suspension in the air of particles of some substance
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
WASauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HE WAS going to visit a patient in a suburb one dark October night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
whitenessnounUS /ˈwaɪtnəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of greatest lightness (bearing the least resemblance to black)
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
whiteningnounUS /ˈwaɪtɪnɪŋ/
changing to a lighter color
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The atmosphere was charged with vapour, which in its turn was made into a dim, confusing whiteness by the hidden moon.
but in spite of that
From this reading There was a pallid moon somewhere among the clouds whitening the heavy mist that lay over the half-built environs of the town--dismal blank spaces--fields which were no longer fields, streets which were not yet streets.
