used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
anew
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
attemptsnounUS /əˈtempts/
plural of “attempt” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
have
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
bewilderedadjectiveUS /bɪˈwɪldərd/
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
blindingadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
confined by bonds
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
provide with a covering or cause to be covered
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
without deviation
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
discomfortnounUS /dɪˈskʌmfərt/
the state of being tense and feeling pain
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
Duvall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading In this effort he was equally unsuccessful.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading In this effort he was equally unsuccessful.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
experiencesnounUS /ɪkˈspɪriənsɪz/
plural of “experience” — the accumulation of knowledge or skill that results from direct participation in events or activities
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
opinion or judgment
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
futileadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtəl/
producing no result or effect
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
glarenounUS /ɡler/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
be the source of pain
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
intensitynounUS /ɪnˈtensəti/
the amount of energy transmitted (as by acoustic or electromagnetic radiation)
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
irritationnounUS /ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃən/
the psychological state of being irritated or annoyed
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
on one occasion
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
and nothing more
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
raysnounUS /reɪz/
plural of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
Richard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
cut with a saw
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
get by special effort
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
try to get or reach
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
unusual or striking
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading It was not exactly pain that he felt, but an intense discomfort, such as one experiences when looking directly at the brilliant rays of the sun.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In this effort he was equally unsuccessful.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
unsuccessfuladjectiveUS /ˌʌnsəkˈsesfəl/
not successful; having failed or having an unfavorable outcome
From this reading In this effort he was equally unsuccessful.
a vivid mental image
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading After a few moments spent in futile attempts to cover his eyes with his hands, only to discover that his arms were tightly bound, he thought to secure relief by turning his face to one side, so that his vision might seek the soft darkness which seemed to lie on every side of him.
at the time that
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He closed his eyes again at once, unable to bear the irritation which was thus caused him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When Richard Duvall once more opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blinding glare of light, that hurt and bewildered him with its singular and brilliant intensity.
