used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
(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 Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
barrenadjectiveUS /ˈbærən/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
have
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
put or send forth
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
crevicenounUS /ˈkrevəs/
a long narrow depression in a surface
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
drearadjective
causing dejection
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/
housing that someone is living in
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
entrynounUS /ˈentri/
an item inserted in a written record
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
divisible by two
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
start firing a weapon
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
characteristic of or befitting a friend
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
homelyadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊmli/
lacking in physical beauty or proportion
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
low or inferior in station or quality
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
longsverbUS /lɔːŋz/
third-person singular of “long” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
much-loved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
of an obscure nature
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
noiselessadjective
making no sound
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
(of games) engaged in
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
poornessnoun
the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
compacted by ironing
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
resemblingverbUS /rɪˈzembəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “resemble” — appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
sighsnounUS /saɪz/
plural of “sigh” — an utterance made by exhaling audibly
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/
a state of social isolation
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
not in physical motion
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
tenderlyadverbUS /ˈtendərli/
with tenderness; in a tender manner
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
to-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
in the direction of
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
treadingverbUS /ˈtredɪŋ/
-ing form of “tread” — put down or press the foot, place the foot
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
tunesnounUS /tuːnz/
plural of “tune” — a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
From this reading Still she played on, all else forgotten or never even seen, tunes almost too sweet for human ear to bear.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
violinnounUS /vaɪəˈlɪn/
bowed stringed instrument that is the highest member of the violin family; this instrument has four strings and a hollow body and an unfretted fingerboard and is played with a bow
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
migratory
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A fire close by cast a friendly light through every crevice, so that the humble dwelling looked warm and homely, in spite of its barren poorness and the drear solitude upon which it stood.
wide-openadjective
open wide
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She played and played, and out of the darkness Fate was coming towards her, treading with noiseless feet....
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading But to-day there was something within them resembling the sighs of a wandering soul that longs for what it cannot reach.
made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood
From this reading Before the wide-open entry sat the mysterious maiden on an ancient wooden chest, her much-loved violin, as always, pressed tenderly beneath her cheek.
