used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “I know you are here, Rees.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
cavernousadjectiveUS /ˈkævərnəs/
being or suggesting a cavern
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
deem to be
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading What are you doing?” she repeated.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading On hearing Lady Marion’s voice, Rees felt his heart stand still.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence
From this reading On hearing Lady Marion’s voice, Rees felt his heart stand still.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading On hearing Lady Marion’s voice, Rees felt his heart stand still.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “I know you are here, Rees.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading On hearing Lady Marion’s voice, Rees felt his heart stand still.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I know you are here, Rees.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “I know you are here, Rees.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading On hearing Lady Marion’s voice, Rees felt his heart stand still.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
Marion's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On hearing Lady Marion’s voice, Rees felt his heart stand still.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On hearing Lady Marion’s voice, Rees felt his heart stand still.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
and nothing more
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
Rees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On hearing Lady Marion’s voice, Rees felt his heart stand still.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
recurring again and again
From this reading What are you doing?” she repeated.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
be standing; be upright
From this reading On hearing Lady Marion’s voice, Rees felt his heart stand still.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
not in physical motion
From this reading On hearing Lady Marion’s voice, Rees felt his heart stand still.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
unseenadjectiveUS /ənˈsiːn/
not seen or perceived
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading On hearing Lady Marion’s voice, Rees felt his heart stand still.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading It was by this time quite dark in the cavernous chamber, so that he could only guess that she must have been watching, unseen by him, for an hour or more.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had a few moments to consider what he should do, for at the first sound of her voice he had stepped back hastily into the black shadow of one of the corners of the chamber, from whence he could observe her figure as long as she remained with her back to the faint light at the entrance.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I know you are here, Rees.
