used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
with self-possession (especially in times of stress)
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
rid of objects or obstructions such as e.g. trees and brush
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
a state at a particular time
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
dazzlingadjectiveUS /ˈdæzəlɪŋ/
amazingly impressive; suggestive of the flashing of lightning
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
diagnosingnounUS /ˌdaɪəɡˈnoʊsɪŋ/
identifying the nature or cause of some phenomenon
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
druggedadjectiveUS /drʌɡd/
under the influence of narcotics
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
emergingadjectiveUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒɪŋ/
coming to maturity
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
opinion or judgment
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
globesnounUS /ɡloʊbz/
plural of “globe” — the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
impersonaladjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɜːrsənəl/
not relating to or responsive to individual persons
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
become covered with mist
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
used to form the superlative
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
OLIVA
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
Oliva's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
quantitynounUS /ˈkwɑːntəti/
how much there is or how many there are of something that you can quantify
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading She was emerging from a drugged sleep; she could regard herself in a curious impersonal fashion which was most interesting.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
a person, without saying who
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
spangledadjectiveUS /ˈspæŋɡəld/
covered with beads or jewels or sequins
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
straightwayadverb
at once
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
very small
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
unaccountableadjectiveUS /ˌʌnəˈkaʊntəbəl/
not to be accounted for or explained
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She felt that she ought to see faces of people she knew, for one half of her brain had cleared and was calmly diagnosing her condition, but doing so as though she were somebody else.
at any time that; every time that
From this reading Whenever she fixed her eyes upon one of these it straightway became two and three and then an unaccountable quantity.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
disposed or inclined toward
From this reading OLIVA IS WILLING It seemed that a grey curtain of mist hung before Oliva's eyes.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was a curtain spangled with tiny globes of dazzling light which grew from nothing and faded to nothing.
