used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
anew
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
using the voice; not silently
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
dirtnounUS /dɜːrt/
the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
grimenounUS /ɡraɪm/
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A new thought had struck me.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading A new thought had struck me.
being perceived or observed
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading I paused.
Pepper'snounUS /ˈpepərz/
possessive form of “pepper” — climber having dark red berries (peppercorns) when fully ripe; southern India and Sri Lanka; naturalized in northern Burma and Assam
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
pier-glass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
questioningadjectiveUS /ˈkwestʃənɪŋ/
perplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know)
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
with speed
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
any object that is left unused or still extant
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
rubverbUS /rʌb/
move over something with pressure
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
not in physical motion
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading A new thought had struck me.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading A new thought had struck me.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
tottered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
a shaky motion
From this reading It was too covered with grime, to give back any reflection, and, with trembling hands, I began to rub off the dirt.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
a vivid mental image
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Quickly, but with steps which, for the first time, I noticed, tottered, I went across the room to the great pier-glass, and looked in.
a late time of life
From this reading Suddenly, as my glance fell again upon Pepper's remains, I stood still, and gave voice to my confusion--questioning, aloud, whether the years were, indeed, passing; whether this, which I had taken to be a form of vision, was, in truth, a reality.
