used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
(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 The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
athwartadverbUS /əˈθwɔːrt/
at right angles to the center line of a ship
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
beamnounUS /biːm/
a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading With a common impulse the two girls waved their hands from the window as the car plunged forward.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
give encouragement to
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
chorusnounUS /ˈkɔːrəs/
any utterance produced simultaneously by a group
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading With a common impulse the two girls waved their hands from the window as the car plunged forward.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
cranedverbUS /kreɪnd/
past form of “crane” — stretch (the neck) so as to see better
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
curtainsnounUS /ˈkɜːrtənz/
plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
embodimentnounUS /emˈbɑːdimənt/
a new personification of a familiar idea
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
start firing a weapon
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
floatedverbUS /ˈfloʊtəd/
past form of “float” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading With a common impulse the two girls waved their hands from the window as the car plunged forward.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading With a common impulse the two girls waved their hands from the window as the car plunged forward.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
a quick look
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading With a common impulse the two girls waved their hands from the window as the car plunged forward.
harmoniumnounUS /hɑːrˈmoʊniəm/
a free-reeded instrument with a piano keyboard in which air is forced through the reeds by bellows
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
an instinctive motive
From this reading With a common impulse the two girls waved their hands from the window as the car plunged forward.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "The King of Love my Shepherd is!"
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading "The King of Love my Shepherd is!"
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
lighthousenounUS /ˈlaɪthaʊs/
a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading "The King of Love my Shepherd is!"
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "The King of Love my Shepherd is!"
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading With a common impulse the two girls waved their hands from the window as the car plunged forward.
rosyadjectiveUS /ˈroʊzi/
reflecting optimism
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
except for; apart from
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
ShepherdnounUS /ˈʃepərd/
a clergyman who watches over a group of people
From this reading "The King of Love my Shepherd is!"
an instance of visual perception
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
the act of singing vocal music
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
having a supporting base
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
strainsnounUS /streɪnz/
plural of “strain” — (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
sweetlyadverbUS /ˈswiːtli/
in an affectionate or loving manner (“sweet” is sometimes a poetic or informal variant of “sweetly”)
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading With a common impulse the two girls waved their hands from the window as the car plunged forward.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They craned forward, eager for the first glimpse of the house, and caught sight of a beam of light athwart the darkness of the night.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading With a common impulse the two girls waved their hands from the window as the car plunged forward.
undrawnadjective
not represented in a drawing
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading With a common impulse the two girls waved their hands from the window as the car plunged forward.
well-knownadjectiveUS /ˈwelˈnoʊn/
widely or fully known
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
a Caucasian
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The house was all black save for one window, but that was as a lighthouse in a waste, for the curtains were undrawn, and fire and lamp sent out a rosy glow which seemed the embodiment of cheer.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With a common impulse the two girls waved their hands from the window as the car plunged forward.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Against the white background of the wall a group of figures could be seen standing together beneath the lamp; the strains of a harmonium floated sweetly on the night air, a chorus of glad young voices singing the well-known words:
