used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
(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 He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
any thing at all
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But the dead stillness of the long, long morning that followed, was at once insupportable and incomprehensible to him.
barredadjectiveUS /bɑːrd/
preventing entry or exit or a course of action
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
brightenverbUS /ˈbraɪtən/
make more cheerful through the use of color
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the dead stillness of the long, long morning that followed, was at once insupportable and incomprehensible to him.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading But the dead stillness of the long, long morning that followed, was at once insupportable and incomprehensible to him.
deliverancenounUS /dɪˈlɪvərəns/
recovery or preservation from loss or danger
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading What did it mean?
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
endurancenounUS /ˈendərəns/
the power to withstand hardship or stress
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
Erskine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
exceptionaladjectiveUS /ɪkˈsepʃənəl/
far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading But the dead stillness of the long, long morning that followed, was at once insupportable and incomprehensible to him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But the dead stillness of the long, long morning that followed, was at once insupportable and incomprehensible to him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
intense and profound fear
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
incomprehensibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪŋkɑːmprəˈhensɪbəl/
incapable of being explained or accounted for
From this reading But the dead stillness of the long, long morning that followed, was at once insupportable and incomprehensible to him.
insupportableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnsəˈpɔːrtəbəl/
incapable of being justified or explained
From this reading But the dead stillness of the long, long morning that followed, was at once insupportable and incomprehensible to him.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
John'snounUS /dʒɑːnz/
possessive form of “john” — a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
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 But the dead stillness of the long, long morning that followed, was at once insupportable and incomprehensible to him.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading What did it mean?
become covered with mist
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading But the dead stillness of the long, long morning that followed, was at once insupportable and incomprehensible to him.
the condition of being essential or indispensable
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
on one occasion
From this reading But the dead stillness of the long, long morning that followed, was at once insupportable and incomprehensible to him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
persuadedverbUS /pərˈsweɪdɪd/
past form of “persuade” — win approval or support for
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
restrainedadjectiveUS /riˈstreɪnd/
cool and formal in manner
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
move by turning over or rotating
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
cut with a saw
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading But the dead stillness of the long, long morning that followed, was at once insupportable and incomprehensible to him.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
strangenessnounUS /ˈstreɪndʒnəs/
unusualness as a consequence of not being well known
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
supportableadjectiveUS /səˈpɔːrtəbəl/
capable of being borne though unpleasant
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
precisely as stated
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What did it mean?
at the time that
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
belonging to which person
From this reading It is a strange experience for a man whose personal freedom has never been restrained to find himself in prison.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The excitement and amazement of the first day made it something so exceptional and extraordinary, that out of very strangeness it was supportable: and Erskine felt it possible to wind himself up to the necessity of endurance for one night.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
wrapverbUS /ræp/
arrange or fold as a cover or protection
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
but in spite of that
From this reading He saw the light brighten in his barred window, and persuaded himself, as long as he could, that it was as yet too early for anything to be done; but when he heard all the sounds of life outside, and felt the long moments roll on, and listened in vain for any deliverance, a cold mist of amazement and horror began to wrap John's soul.
