used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a nervous affection which had haunted him for years.
acuteadjectiveUS /əˈkjuːt/
having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
a positive feeling of liking
From this reading It was a nervous affection which had haunted him for years.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
Bersonin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
crisisnounUS /ˈkraɪsəs/
an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
datedadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪtɪd/
marked by features of the immediate and usually discounted past
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
desperatelyadverbUS /ˈdespərətli/
with great urgency
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
at any time
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was a nervous affection which had haunted him for years.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
ghastlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡæstli/
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading It had given him a morbid hatred of laughter in others.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was a nervous affection which had haunted him for years.
hatrednounUS /ˈheɪtrəd/
the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
From this reading It had given him a morbid hatred of laughter in others.
hauntedadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːntɪd/
having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something
From this reading It was a nervous affection which had haunted him for years.
hazardnounUS /ˈhæzərd/
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was a nervous affection which had haunted him for years.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a nervous affection which had haunted him for years.
lathnounUS /læθ/
a narrow thin strip of wood used as backing for plaster or to make latticework
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
the sound of laughing
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
merrimentnoun
a gay feeling
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
morbidadjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrbəd/
suggesting an unhealthy mental state
From this reading It had given him a morbid hatred of laughter in others.
easily agitated
From this reading It was a nervous affection which had haunted him for years.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had given him a morbid hatred of laughter in others.
pealnounUS /piːl/
a deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells)
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
past form of “seize” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
move or cause to move back and forth
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
SinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
spasmnounUS /ˈspæzəm/
a painful and involuntary muscular contraction
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
SPIDERnounUS /ˈspaɪdər/
predatory arachnid with eight legs, two poison fangs, two feelers, and usually two silk-spinning organs at the back end of the body; they spin silk to make cocoons for eggs or traps for prey
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
unexpectedlyadverbUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪdli/
in a way that was not expected
From this reading Since then it had seized him many times, unexpectedly and in moments of strong excitement, to shake him like a lath.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a nervous affection which had haunted him for years.
WEBnounUS /web/
an intricate network suggesting something that was formed by weaving or interweaving
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
at the time that
From this reading It dated from a time when, in South America, in an acute crisis of desperate personal hazard, he had laughed the first peal of that strange laughter of which he was to be ever after afraid.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a nervous affection which had haunted him for years.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE WEB OF THE SPIDER Bersonin walked on, fighting desperately with his ghastly spasm of merriment.
a late time of life
From this reading It was a nervous affection which had haunted him for years.
