Chapter XXXIX

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

the act of admitting someone to enter

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

(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 All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

react verbally

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

eagerly desirous

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The whole house was disturbed, as was to be supposed.

feeling shame or guilt or embarrassment or remorse

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The whole house was disturbed, as was to be supposed.

come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

United States biologist remembered for her opposition to the use of pesticides that were hazardous to wildlife (1907-1964)

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

(baseball) playing the position of catcher on a baseball team

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

the activity of keeping something secret

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

intentionally conceived

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

having the place or position changed

From this reading The whole house was disturbed, as was to be supposed.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

plural of “elli” — (Norse mythology) goddess of old age who defeated Thor in a wrestling match

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

divisible by two

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

provoking horror

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

any number of entities (members) considered as a unit

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The whole house was disturbed, as was to be supposed.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

a crime less serious than a felony

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

the act of hearing attentively

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

plural of “maid” — a female domestic

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

a feeling of thoughtful sadness

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

not any; not one

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

inflected form of “occur” — come to pass

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

inflected form of “occur” — come to pass

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

plural of “peep” — the short weak cry of a young bird

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

something left after other parts have been taken away

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading The whole house was conscious of some dreadful crisis, which had occurred, or was occurring; and even in the frightful anxiety which possessed us, Aunt Milly began to feel that extraordinary infraction of all the decorums of such a house.

required or under orders

From this reading The whole house was disturbed, as was to be supposed.

carry out

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

thrown into a state of intense fear or desperation

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

pulsate or pound with abnormal force

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

extremely painful

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

marked by continuous or uninterrupted extension in space or time or sequence

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading All the remainder of that dreadful afternoon we spent in vain endeavours to get admission.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

during the time that

From this reading While we stood in an anxious, troubled group round Miss Mortimer’s door, Carson, with her melancholy and ashamed face, stood anxious and terrified at a little distance--the maids below came to take furtive peeps upon the stairs--and Ellis himself stood listening in the hall, catching at every sound.

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading The whole house was disturbed, as was to be supposed.

in the company of; together with

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading No answer came to us from those closed doors--silence, dead and unbroken, was within those concealing walls, which it seemed wonderful to me did not beat and throb with the torturing life within them.