used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
abjectadjectiveUS /ˈæbdʒekt/
of the most contemptible kind
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.
clammyadjectiveUS /ˈklæmi/
unpleasantly cool and humid
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
clutchedverbUS /klʌtʃt/
past form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
coiledadjectiveUS /kɔɪld/
curled or wound (especially in concentric rings or spirals)
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
draperynounUS /ˈdreɪpəri/
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
drugverbUS /drʌɡ/
administer a drug to
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
fasteningsnounUS /ˈfæsənɪŋz/
plural of “fastening” — restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
hold firmly
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
hoodnounUS /hʊd/
an aggressive and violent young criminal
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
horridadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːrəd/
exceedingly bad
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
intense and profound fear
From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
KISMETnounUS /ˈkɪzmɪt/
(Islam) the will of Allah
From this reading KISMET!
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
a particular point in time
From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
nauseatingadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːʒieɪtɪŋ/
causing or able to cause nausea
From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.
on one occasion
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
make a painting
From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
cut with a saw
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
shaftsnounUS /ʃæfts/
plural of “shaft” — a line that forms the length of an arrow pointer
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
sweatnounUS /swet/
salty fluid secreted by sweat glands
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
possessing sweep
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
veinsnounUS /veɪnz/
plural of “vein” — a blood vessel that carries blood from the capillaries toward the heart
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
wildlyadverbUS /ˈwaɪldli/
to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
in the company of; together with
From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
the words that are spoken
From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.
