used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Looking right overhead, one saw nothing, absolutely nothing.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Overhead hung an impenetrable cloud of darkness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was midnight, and as silent as the grave.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was midnight, and as silent as the grave.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading Overhead hung an impenetrable cloud of darkness.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Overhead hung an impenetrable cloud of darkness.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
detectverbUS /dɪˈtekt/
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
death of a person
From this reading It was midnight, and as silent as the grave.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Overhead hung an impenetrable cloud of darkness.
impenetrableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpenətrəbəl/
not admitting of penetration or passage into or through
From this reading Overhead hung an impenetrable cloud of darkness.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was midnight, and as silent as the grave.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading There was no moon, no star, no light from the north.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
limitsnounUS /ˈlɪməts/
plural of “limit” — the greatest possible degree of something
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Looking right overhead, one saw nothing, absolutely nothing.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading It was midnight, and as silent as the grave.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading There was no moon, no star, no light from the north.
murmurnounUS /ˈmɜːrmər/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
not any; not one
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
noisesnounUS /ˈnɔɪzɪz/
plural of “noise” — sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading There was no moon, no star, no light from the north.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Looking right overhead, one saw nothing, absolutely nothing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Looking right overhead, one saw nothing, absolutely nothing.
OverheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading Overhead hung an impenetrable cloud of darkness.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
pulselessadjective
appearing dead; not breathing or having no perceptible pulse
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Looking right overhead, one saw nothing, absolutely nothing.
cut with a saw
From this reading Looking right overhead, one saw nothing, absolutely nothing.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading It was midnight, and as silent as the grave.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading There was no moon, no star, no light from the north.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was midnight, and as silent as the grave.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was midnight, and as silent as the grave.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The quality of the silence was peculiar; for although no sound stirred the air close at hand, there was, beyond the limits at which the ear could detect individual sounds, from minute to minute a tone of deep murmur, which would have been like the noises of a distant sea but that it was pulseless.
