used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The night was dark, though with a sky grey and starry.
(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 It was the sombre gloom that in all its obscurity shrouded the extinguished crater.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The night was dark, though with a sky grey and starry.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
backingnounUS /ˈbækɪŋ/
the act of providing approval and support
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
craning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
craternounUS /ˈkreɪtər/
a bowl-shaped geological formation at the top of a volcano
From this reading It was the sombre gloom that in all its obscurity shrouded the extinguished crater.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The night was dark, though with a sky grey and starry.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
descentnounUS /dɪˈsent/
An action of moving downward, dropping, or falling into a deeper place.
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
let fall to the ground
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
elevationnounUS /ˌeləˈveɪʃən/
the event of something being raised upward
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
endeavoured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
extinguishedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/
of a conditioned response; caused to die out because of the absence or withdrawal of reinforcement
From this reading It was the sombre gloom that in all its obscurity shrouded the extinguished crater.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
garretnounUS /ˈɡerɪt/
floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading It was the sombre gloom that in all its obscurity shrouded the extinguished crater.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading The night was dark, though with a sky grey and starry.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
hesitateverbUS /ˈhezəteɪt/
pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was the sombre gloom that in all its obscurity shrouded the extinguished crater.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
inwardsadverb
to or toward the inside of
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the sombre gloom that in all its obscurity shrouded the extinguished crater.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It was the sombre gloom that in all its obscurity shrouded the extinguished crater.
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
staying power
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
for more time
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The night was dark, though with a sky grey and starry.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
obscuritynounUS /əbsˈkjʊrəti/
the quality of being unclear or abstruse and hard to understand
From this reading It was the sombre gloom that in all its obscurity shrouded the extinguished crater.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
on one occasion
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
penetrateverbUS /ˈpenətreɪt/
pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
scarped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
shroudedverbUS /ˈʃraʊdɪd/
past form of “shroud” — cover as if with a shroud
From this reading It was the sombre gloom that in all its obscurity shrouded the extinguished crater.
sillnounUS /sɪl/
structural member consisting of a continuous horizontal timber forming the lowest member of a framework or supporting structure
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The night was dark, though with a sky grey and starry.
sombreadjective
lacking brightness or color; dull
From this reading It was the sombre gloom that in all its obscurity shrouded the extinguished crater.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
starryadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːriː/
abounding with or resembling stars
From this reading The night was dark, though with a sky grey and starry.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was the sombre gloom that in all its obscurity shrouded the extinguished crater.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The night was dark, though with a sky grey and starry.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The night was dark, though with a sky grey and starry.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The thought of this caused him to hesitate; and, once more craning his neck over the sill, he endeavoured to penetrate the obscurity below.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
except if; if not
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
precisely as stated
From this reading He could not see the ground beneath; but, knowing how high he had climbed into the garret, the descent could not be a very deep one, unless indeed the house stood on the edge of some scarped elevation.
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 But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The night was dark, though with a sky grey and starry.
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 But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The night was dark, though with a sky grey and starry.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But he could not see the ground, and as it would not do to remain any longer, he turned face inwards, and, backing through the window, let his legs drop down the wall.
