used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
abandonverbUS /əˈbændən/
forsake, leave behind
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
avowedadjectiveUS /əˈvaʊd/
openly declared as such
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “But the will of her, to whom she owed more than life, was to be obeyed.
benightedadjectiveUS /bɪˈnaɪtɪd/
overtaken by night or darkness
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
bequeathedverbUS /bəˈkwiːθt/
past form of “bequeath” — leave or give by will after one's death
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
breatheverbUS /briːð/
draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
relating to or characteristic of Christianity
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
inflected form of “compel” — force somebody to do something
From this reading It was with a loathing not to be concealed she now found herself compelled to resume her idolatrous services at the shrine.
not accessible to view
From this reading It was with a loathing not to be concealed she now found herself compelled to resume her idolatrous services at the shrine.
travel across or pass over
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
well in the past; former
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
devisingnounUS /dɪˈvaɪzɪŋ/
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
effectingverbUS /ɪˈfektɪŋ/
-ing form of “effect” — produce
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
having your services engaged for; or having a job especially one that pays wages or a salary
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
a feeling of excitement
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
the act of escaping physically
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
set up or found
From this reading It was with a loathing not to be concealed she now found herself compelled to resume her idolatrous services at the shrine.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
hauntverbUS /hɔːnt/
follow stealthily or recur constantly and spontaneously to
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
heartfeltadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrtfelt/
sincerely earnest
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading It was with a loathing not to be concealed she now found herself compelled to resume her idolatrous services at the shrine.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
idolatrousadjectiveUS /aɪˈdɑːlətrəs/
relating to or practicing idolatry
From this reading It was with a loathing not to be concealed she now found herself compelled to resume her idolatrous services at the shrine.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
injunctionsnounUS /ˌɪnˈdʒʌŋkʃənz/
plural of “injunction” — a formal command or admonition
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
immediately past
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading “But the will of her, to whom she owed more than life, was to be obeyed.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
loathingnounUS /ˈloʊθɪŋ/
hate coupled with disgust
From this reading It was with a loathing not to be concealed she now found herself compelled to resume her idolatrous services at the shrine.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “But the will of her, to whom she owed more than life, was to be obeyed.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
NightlyadjectiveUS /ˈnaɪtli/
happening every night
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was with a loathing not to be concealed she now found herself compelled to resume her idolatrous services at the shrine.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
past form of “obey” — be obedient to
From this reading “But the will of her, to whom she owed more than life, was to be obeyed.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “But the will of her, to whom she owed more than life, was to be obeyed.
many times at short intervals
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
on one occasion
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
owedverbUS /oʊd/
past form of “owe” — be obliged to pay or repay
From this reading “But the will of her, to whom she owed more than life, was to be obeyed.
pallidadjectiveUS /ˈpæləd/
abnormally deficient in color as suggesting physical or emotional distress
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
perilousadjectiveUS /ˈperələs/
fraught with danger
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
resumeverbUS /rɪˈzuːm/
take up or begin anew
From this reading It was with a loathing not to be concealed she now found herself compelled to resume her idolatrous services at the shrine.
move upward
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
performance of duties or provision of space and equipment helpful to others
From this reading It was with a loathing not to be concealed she now found herself compelled to resume her idolatrous services at the shrine.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
shrinenounUS /ʃraɪn/
a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person
From this reading It was with a loathing not to be concealed she now found herself compelled to resume her idolatrous services at the shrine.
shrinesnounUS /ʃraɪnz/
plural of “shrine” — a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
superstitionnounUS /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃən/
an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear
From this reading To escape from this haunt of superstition must now, she felt, be her first object; and, in devising the means of effecting it, her mind, day and night, was employed.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading “But the will of her, to whom she owed more than life, was to be obeyed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
vowverbUS /vaʊ/
make a vow; promise
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “But the will of her, to whom she owed more than life, was to be obeyed.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “Nightly, upon this cross, which she had often seen her lost mother kiss, did she breathe forth a solemn and heartfelt vow, never to abandon the faith which that departed spirit had bequeathed to her.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “But the will of her, to whom she owed more than life, was to be obeyed.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “But the will of her, to whom she owed more than life, was to be obeyed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was with a loathing not to be concealed she now found herself compelled to resume her idolatrous services at the shrine.
the words that are spoken
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading To such enthusiasm, indeed, did her heart at such moments rise, that, but for the last injunctions from those pallid lips, she would, at once, have avowed her perilous secret, and spoken out the words, ‘I am a Christian,’ among those benighted shrines!
