used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
(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 As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
a distinct feature or element in a problem
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
next to; at the side of
From this reading I sank down upon the floor beside her, and she put her thin wasted arms round my neck and kissed me without a word.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
rid of obstructions
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
divisible by two
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
opinion or judgment
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading I sank down upon the floor beside her, and she put her thin wasted arms round my neck and kissed me without a word.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
keeneradjectiveUS /ˈkiːnər/
comparative of “keen” — having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
past form of “kiss” — touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.
From this reading I sank down upon the floor beside her, and she put her thin wasted arms round my neck and kissed me without a word.
Laurence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
marshnounUS /mɑːrʃ/
low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
a particular point in time
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading I sank down upon the floor beside her, and she put her thin wasted arms round my neck and kissed me without a word.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
proclamationnounUS /ˌprɑːkləˈmeɪʃən/
a formal public statement
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
pronouncedadjectiveUS /prəˈnaʊnst/
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
Rayner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading I sank down upon the floor beside her, and she put her thin wasted arms round my neck and kissed me without a word.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
scalesnounUS /skeɪlz/
plural of “scale” — an ordered reference standard
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
ShakenadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪkən/
disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I sank down upon the floor beside her, and she put her thin wasted arms round my neck and kissed me without a word.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
shrankverbUS /ʃræŋk/
inflected form of “shrink” — wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading I sank down upon the floor beside her, and she put her thin wasted arms round my neck and kissed me without a word.
tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
migratory
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
wastedadjectiveUS /ˈweɪstɪd/
serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being
From this reading I sank down upon the floor beside her, and she put her thin wasted arms round my neck and kissed me without a word.
weighedverbUS /weɪd/
past form of “weigh” — have a certain weight
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
which person or people
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading I sank down upon the floor beside her, and she put her thin wasted arms round my neck and kissed me without a word.
witsnounUS /wɪts/
the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception
From this reading And, as I looked at her, the scales seemed to fall from my eyes, my dull wits to become keener, and part of the mystery of the house on the marsh to grow clear to me.
Woodfall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the detective pronounced the name “James Woodfall,” I gave a cry that startled them all.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading I sank down upon the floor beside her, and she put her thin wasted arms round my neck and kissed me without a word.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Shaken as my trust in Mr. Rayner had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
a late time of life
From this reading I shrank even from Laurence as he would have put his arms round me, and my wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent, listening to the proclamation of the secret which had weighed her down for years.
