used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
in the past
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
(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 could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
apprehensionnounUS /ˌæprɪˈhenʃən/
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading He asked her to tell him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
besomnoun
a broom made of twigs tied together on a long handle
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
breathlessadjectiveUS /ˈbreθləs/
not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
an onerous or difficult concern
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
clappingnounUS /ˈklæpɪŋ/
a demonstration of approval by clapping the hands together
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
daintyadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪnti/
delicately beautiful
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
absence of light or illumination
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
deepenedverbUS /ˈdiːpənd/
past form of “deepen” — make more intense, stronger, or more marked
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
any strong feeling
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
escapingverbUS /ɪˈskeɪpɪŋ/
-ing form of “escape” — run away from confinement
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
falteringnounUS /ˈfɔːltərɪŋ/
the act of pausing uncertainly
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
a young female
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He asked her to tell him.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He asked her to tell him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He asked her to tell him.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
immediately past
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
lidnounUS /lɪd/
either of two folds of skin that can be moved to cover or open the eye
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
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 At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
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 At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
used to form the superlative
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
mournfullyadverb
in a mournful manner
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
not any; not one
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
opponentnounUS /əˈpoʊnənt/
a contestant that you are matched against
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
persuasionnounUS /pərˈsweɪʒən/
the act of persuading (or attempting to persuade); communication intended to induce belief or action
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
potnounUS /pɑːt/
metal or earthenware cooking vessel that is usually round and deep; often has a handle and lid
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
only a very short time before
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
sentencesnounUS /ˈsentənsəz/
plural of “sentence” — a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
shudderverbUS /ˈʃʌdər/
shake, as from cold
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
snow-coveredadjective
covered with snow
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
sorelyadverbUS /ˈsɔːrli/
to a great degree
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
startlingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋ/
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
strived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
suppressverbUS /səˈpres/
bring under control by force or authority
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
express in words
From this reading He asked her to tell him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He asked her to tell him.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
vainlyadverbUS /ˈveɪnli/
to no avail
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
at the time that
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
which person or people
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
wieldingverbUS /ˈwiːldɪŋ/
-ing form of “wield” — have and exercise
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
in the company of; together with
From this reading He could scarcely believe that this was the bright, happy, laughing girl who, half an hour ago, had been putting her stones along the ice, wielding her besom with all her might, and clapping her dainty little hands with delight when any of her own side knocked an opponent off "the pot lid."
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading At last, after long persuasion, during which time dusk had almost deepened into darkness in that silent snow-covered wood, she, in a faltering voice, and with many sentences broken by her emotion, which she vainly strived to suppress, told him a most curious and startling story to which he listened with breathless interest.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading A slight shudder ran through her, and she shook her head mournfully, no word escaping her lips.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading She sighed, the sigh of a young girl who had a burden of apprehension upon her sorely troubled mind.
