used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
the act of burning something
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
Dangerfield
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
start firing a weapon
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
footstepnounUS /ˈfʊtstep/
the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading A minute or two before he had heard a stealthy footstep outside.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading He glanced round his shoulder at the window.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A minute or two before he had heard a stealthy footstep outside.
hall-door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A minute or two before he had heard a stealthy footstep outside.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading A minute or two before he had heard a stealthy footstep outside.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
industriouslyadverb
in an industrious manner
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
the literary culture
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading A minute or two before he had heard a stealthy footstep outside.
a form of address for a man
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
mutteringnounUS /ˈmʌtərɪŋ/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A minute or two before he had heard a stealthy footstep outside.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading A minute or two before he had heard a stealthy footstep outside.
packingnounUS /ˈpækɪŋ/
any material used especially to protect something
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
parlournounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/
reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
propheticadjectiveUS /prəˈfetɪk/
foretelling events as if by supernatural intervention
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
one of four equal parts
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading He glanced round his shoulder at the window.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading He glanced round his shoulder at the window.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
stealthyadjectiveUS /ˈstelθi/
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
From this reading A minute or two before he had heard a stealthy footstep outside.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WHER-WOLF.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
trunksnounUS /trʌŋks/
(used in the plural) trousers that end at or above the knee
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
vibrated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
at the time that
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
WHER-WOLF
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE WHER-WOLF.
in or at the place that
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
whisperingnounUS /ˈwɪspərɪŋ/
a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind
From this reading Then he heard the cook walk along the passage, muttering to herself, to the hall-door, where there arose a whispering.
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 He glanced round his shoulder at the window.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading About a quarter of an hour before this, Mr. Paul Dangerfield was packing two trunks in his little parlour, and burning letters industriously in the fire, when his keen ear caught a sound at which a prophetic instinct within him vibrated alarm.
