used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
(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 One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
in addition
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
awakeningnounUS /əˈweɪkənɪŋ/
the act of waking
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
Barbara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
BuddhanounUS /ˈbuːdə/
founder of Buddhism (c 563-483 BC)
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
a young person of either sex
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
creepingnounUS /ˈkriːpɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
draggingadjectiveUS /ˈdræɡɪŋ/
marked by a painfully slow and effortful manner
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
EmbassynounUS /ˈembəsi/
a diplomatic building where ambassadors live or work
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
plural of “force” — a powerful effect or influence
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
gold-lacquer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
destroyed or killed
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
not accessible to view
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
an iconic mental representation
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
kaleidoscopicadjective
continually shifting or rapidly changing
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
minglingnounUS /ˈmɪŋɡəlɪŋ/
the action of people mingling and coming into contact
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
mysteriesnounUS /ˈmɪstəriz/
plural of “mystery” — something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
not any; not one
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
occultverbUS /əˈkʌlt/
cause an eclipse of (a celestial body) by intervention
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
on one occasion
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
and nothing more
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
open-eyedadjective
carefully observant or attentive; on the lookout for possible danger
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
oppressionnounUS /əˈpreʃən/
the act of subjugating by cruelty
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
rapiditynounUS /rəˈpɪdəti/
a rate that is rapid
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
Sendai
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
be seated
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
struggledverbUS /ˈstrʌɡəld/
past form of “struggle” — make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
swingingnounUS /ˈswɪŋɪŋ/
changing location by moving back and forth
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
tanglenounUS /ˈtæŋɡəl/
a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There came over her a creeping oppression--a sense of terror of the night, of its hidden mysteries and occult forces.
a special situation
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading One thing ran through them all--the gold-lacquer Buddha that had stood on the Sendai chest in her bedroom at the Embassy; only it seemed to be also that lost image before which she had used to sit as a child.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
precisely as stated
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
visionsnounUS /ˈvɪʒənz/
plural of “vision” — a vivid mental image
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading THE VOICE IN THE DARK Barbara rested ill in her cabin bed that night.
wearyingadjectiveUS /ˈwiːriɪŋ/
producing exhaustion
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She had no feeling of awakening, but all at once the visions were gone and she lay open-eyed, swinging to the movement of the sea, feeling the night to be very long.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Confused dreams troubled her, mingling familiar thoughts in kaleidoscopic confusion, dragging her from one tangle to another in a wearying rapidity against which she struggled in vain.
