used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MOONLIGHT AND MISTAKES The musicale was over.
any thing at all
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
Caine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
campedverbUS /kæmpt/
past form of “camp” — live in or as if in a tent
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
devastatingadjectiveUS /ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ/
making light of
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
goodnight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
and nothing more
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
Letty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
lingeredverbUS /ˈlɪŋɡərd/
past form of “linger” — remain present although waning or gradually dying
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
localadjectiveUS /ˈloʊkəl/
relating to or applicable to or concerned with the administration of a city or town or district rather than a larger area
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
MISTAKESnounUS /mɪˈsteɪks/
plural of “mistake” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading MOONLIGHT AND MISTAKES The musicale was over.
the light of the Moon
From this reading MOONLIGHT AND MISTAKES The musicale was over.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
musicale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MOONLIGHT AND MISTAKES The musicale was over.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading MOONLIGHT AND MISTAKES The musicale was over.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
StandishnounUS /ˈstændɪʃ/
English colonist in America; leader of the Pilgrims in the early days of the Plymouth Colony (1584-1656)
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MOONLIGHT AND MISTAKES The musicale was over.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
in or at that place or location
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The first floor of the Standish house looked as though a devastating army had camped there.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/
void of intelligence or thought
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
vacuumnounUS /ˈvækjuːm/
the absence of matter
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading MOONLIGHT AND MISTAKES The musicale was over.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading They always seem to have carried away with them whatever local atmosphere there was and to have left behind a vacuum of desolation.”
which person or people
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading “I wonder,” he said, “if there is anything else on earth quite so vacant as the place a crowd of guests have just deserted.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Caine, who had lingered for a goodnight word with Letty, glanced over the empty music room.
