used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
arcnounUS /ɑːrk/
electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
ascendedverbUS /əˈsendɪd/
past form of “ascend” — travel up
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
bronzenounUS /brɑːnz/
an alloy of copper and tin and sometimes other elements; also any copper-base alloy containing other elements in place of tin
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
canvasnounUS /ˈkænvəs/
a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
corridornounUS /ˈkɔːrədər/
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
costumenounUS /kɑːˈstuːm/
the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
past form of “dance” — move in a graceful and rhythmical way
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
descendingadjectiveUS /dɪˈsendɪŋ/
coming down or downward
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
disturbingadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/
causing distress or worry or anxiety
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
Dorset
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
emergedverbUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒd/
past form of “emerge” — come out into view, as from concealment
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
a movement into or inward
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
friezenounUS /friːz/
an architectural ornament consisting of a horizontal sculptured band between the architrave and the cornice
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
destroyed or killed
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
an established custom
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
illusionnounUS /ˌɪˈluːʒən/
an erroneous mental representation
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
influencesnounUS /ˈɪnfluːənsɪz/
plural of “influence” — a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
lifelessadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪfləs/
deprived of life; no longer living
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
held up in the air
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
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 From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
not any; not one
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
and nothing more
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
coated with paint
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
satyrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
sheetsnounUS /ʃiːts/
plural of “sheet” — any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
stairnounUS /ster/
support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
in or at that place or location
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
a special situation
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The Duke of Dorset hurried through the deserted corridor and ascended the great stair.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading Although the man hurried, habit for an instant stopped him in the arc of light at the turn of the stair.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
wherein
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The thing was now only a lifeless picture hanging in its frame--a sheet of painted canvas from which no disturbing influences emerged.
a Caucasian
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading From the moon, sheets of light, entering through the long windows, lay here and there, white, across the steps, and red across that bronze frieze wherein satyrs danced.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading He lifted his eyes to see that woman, in her costume of old time, descending, but the illusion of it was gone.
