used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
(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 The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
characterizedverbUS /ˈkerəktəraɪzd/
past form of “characterize” — describe or portray the character or the qualities or peculiarities of
From this reading It was loud and delirious, in contrast to the gentle, dirgelike notes that had characterized the other.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
contrastnounUS /ˈkɑːntræst/
the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
From this reading It was loud and delirious, in contrast to the gentle, dirgelike notes that had characterized the other.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Somehow this laughter was different, but the difference was so subtle that she could but vaguely sense it.
Darrow'snounUS /ˈderoʊz/
possessive form of “darrow” — United States lawyer famous for his defense of lost causes (1857-1938)
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
deliriousadjectiveUS /dɪˈlɪriəs/
experiencing delirium
From this reading It was loud and delirious, in contrast to the gentle, dirgelike notes that had characterized the other.
the quality of being unlike or dissimilar
From this reading Somehow this laughter was different, but the difference was so subtle that she could but vaguely sense it.
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading Somehow this laughter was different, but the difference was so subtle that she could but vaguely sense it.
dinned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
dirgelike
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was loud and delirious, in contrast to the gentle, dirgelike notes that had characterized the other.
draggingadjectiveUS /ˈdræɡɪŋ/
marked by a painfully slow and effortful manner
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
dyingadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪɪŋ/
in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
echoedverbUS /ˈekoʊd/
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
fanciesnounUS /ˈfænsiz/
plural of “fancy” — something many people believe that is false
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading It was loud and delirious, in contrast to the gentle, dirgelike notes that had characterized the other.
gleenounUS /ɡliː/
great merriment
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
hauntingadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːntɪŋ/
continually recurring to the mind
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
Helen'snounUS /ˈhelɪnz/
possessive form of “helen” — (Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
the sound of laughing
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading It was loud and delirious, in contrast to the gentle, dirgelike notes that had characterized the other.
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
monstrousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːnstrəs/
abnormally large
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
plural of “note” — a brief written record
From this reading It was loud and delirious, in contrast to the gentle, dirgelike notes that had characterized the other.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading It was loud and delirious, in contrast to the gentle, dirgelike notes that had characterized the other.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
PERPLEXITIES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
past form of “remind” — put in the mind of someone
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading Somehow this laughter was different, but the difference was so subtle that she could but vaguely sense it.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Somehow this laughter was different, but the difference was so subtle that she could but vaguely sense it.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Somehow this laughter was different, but the difference was so subtle that she could but vaguely sense it.
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading Somehow this laughter was different, but the difference was so subtle that she could but vaguely sense it.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
not in physical motion
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
strainsnounUS /streɪnz/
plural of “strain” — (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
subtleadjectiveUS /ˈsʌtəl/
difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
From this reading Somehow this laughter was different, but the difference was so subtle that she could but vaguely sense it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Somehow this laughter was different, but the difference was so subtle that she could but vaguely sense it.
tipsnounUS /tɪps/
plural of “tip” — the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
From this reading The tips of her fingers shut out all sounds from her ears, but the laughter still dinned and echoed in her imagination.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was loud and delirious, in contrast to the gentle, dirgelike notes that had characterized the other.
create by training and teaching
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
vaguelyadverbUS /ˈveɪɡli/
in a vague way
From this reading Somehow this laughter was different, but the difference was so subtle that she could but vaguely sense it.
VirginianounUS /vərˈdʒɪnjə/
a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War
From this reading It reminded her of the haunting strains of glee that had come from Virginia Darrow's dying lips.
a vivid mental image
From this reading PERPLEXITIES Minutes passed, each dragging a train of monstrous fancies before Helen's mental vision.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Somehow this laughter was different, but the difference was so subtle that she could but vaguely sense it.
