used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was something of an ordeal to face the strangers and she had planned to be the first one in the room.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading She was very early, but in fifteen minutes or so the Girl Scouts would commence to arrive.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was something of an ordeal to face the strangers and she had planned to be the first one in the room.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading But she stared at it unseeingly, busy with her thoughts.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
without doubt or question
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
commenceverbUS /kəˈmens/
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading She was very early, but in fifteen minutes or so the Girl Scouts would commence to arrive.
duskyadjective
lighted by or as if by twilight
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading She was very early, but in fifteen minutes or so the Girl Scouts would commence to arrive.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading It was something of an ordeal to face the strangers and she had planned to be the first one in the room.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading She was very early, but in fifteen minutes or so the Girl Scouts would commence to arrive.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was something of an ordeal to face the strangers and she had planned to be the first one in the room.
fixedlyadverb
in a fixed manner
From this reading The red-haired girl stared fixedly out of the window.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
a young female
From this reading The red-haired girl stared fixedly out of the window.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was something of an ordeal to face the strangers and she had planned to be the first one in the room.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
an iconic mental representation
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was very early, but in fifteen minutes or so the Girl Scouts would commence to arrive.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But she stared at it unseeingly, busy with her thoughts.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading She was very early, but in fifteen minutes or so the Girl Scouts would commence to arrive.
mirrornounUS /ˈmɪrər/
polished surface that forms images by reflecting light
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The red-haired girl stared fixedly out of the window.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was something of an ordeal to face the strangers and she had planned to be the first one in the room.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She was very early, but in fifteen minutes or so the Girl Scouts would commence to arrive.
ordealnounUS /ɔːrˈdiːl/
a severe or trying experience
From this reading It was something of an ordeal to face the strangers and she had planned to be the first one in the room.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The red-haired girl stared fixedly out of the window.
plannedadjectiveUS /plænd/
designed or carried out according to a plan
From this reading It was something of an ordeal to face the strangers and she had planned to be the first one in the room.
red-haired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red-haired girl stared fixedly out of the window.
(especially of incident sound or light) bent or sent back
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading It was something of an ordeal to face the strangers and she had planned to be the first one in the room.
ScoutsnounUS /skaʊts/
plural of “scout” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading She was very early, but in fifteen minutes or so the Girl Scouts would commence to arrive.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But she stared at it unseeingly, busy with her thoughts.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She was very early, but in fifteen minutes or so the Girl Scouts would commence to arrive.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading It was something of an ordeal to face the strangers and she had planned to be the first one in the room.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The red-haired girl stared fixedly out of the window.
plural of “stranger” — anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading It was something of an ordeal to face the strangers and she had planned to be the first one in the room.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The red-haired girl stared fixedly out of the window.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading But she stared at it unseeingly, busy with her thoughts.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
unseeingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But she stared at it unseeingly, busy with her thoughts.
precisely as stated
From this reading She was very early, but in fifteen minutes or so the Girl Scouts would commence to arrive.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
in or at the place that
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
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 red-haired girl stared fixedly out of the window.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But she stared at it unseeingly, busy with her thoughts.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading There was nothing to look at but black night, and the light from within turned the glass into a dusky mirror where her image was clearly reflected.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She was very early, but in fifteen minutes or so the Girl Scouts would commence to arrive.
