Chapter XXXI

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

higher than, or over, something

From this reading Greyly it lay in the valley above the mist from the stream.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading But with more than the mystery of dusk the air was heavy.

(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 Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading And the strangeness that had been growing day by day made all the village eerie.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

closing the eyes intermittently and rapidly

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But with more than the mystery of dusk the air was heavy.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

-ing form of “curse” — utter obscenities or profanities

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading And the strangeness that had been growing day by day made all the village eerie.

forsaken by owner or inhabitants

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

the time of day immediately following sunset

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

of or belonging to or characteristic of this earth as distinguished from heaven

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

suggestive of the supernatural; mysterious

From this reading And the strangeness that had been growing day by day made all the village eerie.

suggestive of an elf in strangeness and otherworldliness

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

all things; all of a situation

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

people in general (often used in the plural)

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Greyly it lay in the valley above the mist from the stream.

marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

having a grey appearance

From this reading Greyly it lay in the valley above the mist from the stream.

(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading And the strangeness that had been growing day by day made all the village eerie.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading And the strangeness that had been growing day by day made all the village eerie.

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading But with more than the mystery of dusk the air was heavy.

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

where you live at a particular time

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

characteristic of humanity

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

in a softened tone

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Greyly it lay in the valley above the mist from the stream.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Greyly it lay in the valley above the mist from the stream.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Greyly it lay in the valley above the mist from the stream.

plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading And the strangeness that had been growing day by day made all the village eerie.

become covered with mist

From this reading Greyly it lay in the valley above the mist from the stream.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading But with more than the mystery of dusk the air was heavy.

something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

From this reading But with more than the mystery of dusk the air was heavy.

not any; not one

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

(Greek mythology) a giant Boeotian hunter who pursued the Pleiades and was eventually slain by Artemis; was then placed in the sky as a constellation

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

a legislative assembly in certain countries

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

except for; apart from

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

cut with a saw

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

unusualness as a consequence of not being well known

From this reading And the strangeness that had been growing day by day made all the village eerie.

a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth

From this reading Greyly it lay in the valley above the mist from the stream.

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading But with more than the mystery of dusk the air was heavy.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading _The Cursing of Elfin Things_ As the parliament of Erl ran down the hill they ran into the dusk of evening.

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

in the direction of

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

plural of “troll” — (Scandanavian folklore) a supernatural creature (either a dwarf or a giant) that is supposed to live in caves or in the mountains

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river

From this reading Greyly it lay in the valley above the mist from the stream.

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading And the strangeness that had been growing day by day made all the village eerie.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading But with more than the mystery of dusk the air was heavy.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

at the time that

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Lights blinking early from houses showed that all the folk were home, and the street was deserted by everything that was human; save when with hushed air and almost furtive step they saw their lord Orion like a tall shadow go by, with will-o'-the-wisps behind him, towards the house of the trolls, thinking no earthly thoughts.

in the company of; together with

From this reading But with more than the mystery of dusk the air was heavy.