Chapter XXI

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was too large for a small household, such as now tenanted it.

later than; following

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

plural of “apartment” — a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It was too large for a small household, such as now tenanted it.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

relevant relation or interconnection

From this reading Ralph felt his spirits depressed, and was not sorry when one of the old servants entered the room, bearing two letters in his hand.

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

lacking funds

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

a timepiece that shows the time of day

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

lower than previously

From this reading Ralph felt his spirits depressed, and was not sorry when one of the old servants entered the room, bearing two letters in his hand.

lacking in light; not bright or harsh

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

separated in space or coming from or going to a distance

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

a movement into or inward

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was too large for a small household, such as now tenanted it.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Ralph felt his spirits depressed, and was not sorry when one of the old servants entered the room, bearing two letters in his hand.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Ralph felt his spirits depressed, and was not sorry when one of the old servants entered the room, bearing two letters in his hand.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

a social unit living together

From this reading It was too large for a small household, such as now tenanted it.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

of or characteristic of low rank or importance

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

a person who inhabits a particular place

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It was too large for a small household, such as now tenanted it.

the literary culture

From this reading Ralph felt his spirits depressed, and was not sorry when one of the old servants entered the room, bearing two letters in his hand.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

a feeling of thoughtful sadness

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

a brief written record

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading It was too large for a small household, such as now tenanted it.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Ralph felt his spirits depressed, and was not sorry when one of the old servants entered the room, bearing two letters in his hand.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Ralph felt his spirits depressed, and was not sorry when one of the old servants entered the room, bearing two letters in his hand.

and nothing more

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

above and across; more than

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

plural of “painting” — graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Ralph felt his spirits depressed, and was not sorry when one of the old servants entered the room, bearing two letters in his hand.

apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

marked by absence of sound

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

the act of singing vocal music

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It was too large for a small household, such as now tenanted it.

characterized by or preferring solitude

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone

From this reading Ralph felt his spirits depressed, and was not sorry when one of the old servants entered the room, bearing two letters in his hand.

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented

From this reading Ralph felt his spirits depressed, and was not sorry when one of the old servants entered the room, bearing two letters in his hand.

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

not in physical motion

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

(poetic) tranquil silence

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading It was too large for a small household, such as now tenanted it.

resided in; having tenants

From this reading It was too large for a small household, such as now tenanted it.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

a metallic tapping sound

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

past form of “tinge” — affect as in thought or feeling

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading It was too large for a small household, such as now tenanted it.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Ralph felt his spirits depressed, and was not sorry when one of the old servants entered the room, bearing two letters in his hand.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

plural of “wall” — 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 The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was too large for a small household, such as now tenanted it.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

at the time that

From this reading The mansion of Danvers's New Church, when Ralph entered it, seemed silent and solitary enough.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The steward's apartments were far away, the rooms of the inferior servants still further distant, and, entering the small saloon in which he had passed the morning, Ralph felt as if he were the only inhabitant of the house.

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 evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

in the company of; together with

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading The evening light, now tinged with the gray of night, shone in at the window; the paintings on the walls had become dim and indistinct; shade after shade came melancholy over the sky; and the ticking of a clock upon the stairs would have been the only sound that broke the stillness, had it not been for the note of a distant blackbird singing from beneath a bush.