used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
amenabilitynoun
the trait of being cooperative
From this reading Everything hung upon that insecure thread of official amenability.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An infinitesimal beam of daylight had lit up the black horizon of his threatened future.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
react verbally
From this reading He dared not attempt to answer the question himself.
ANTAGONISTSnounUS /ænˈtæɡənəsts/
plural of “antagonist” — someone who offers opposition
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
eagerly desirous
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading He dared not attempt to answer the question himself.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
beamnounUS /biːm/
a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading An infinitesimal beam of daylight had lit up the black horizon of his threatened future.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading An infinitesimal beam of daylight had lit up the black horizon of his threatened future.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
past form of “dare” — take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission
From this reading He dared not attempt to answer the question himself.
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading An infinitesimal beam of daylight had lit up the black horizon of his threatened future.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
developverbUS /dɪˈveləp/
make something new, such as a product or a mental or artistic creation
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
doubtfuladjectiveUS /ˈdaʊtfəl/
open to doubt or suspicion
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
enduredverbUS /enˈdjʊrd/
past form of “endure” — put up with something or somebody unpleasant
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
at any time
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Everything hung upon that insecure thread of official amenability.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
yet to be or coming
From this reading An infinitesimal beam of daylight had lit up the black horizon of his threatened future.
Fyles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
having or deserving or conferring glory
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He dared not attempt to answer the question himself.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He dared not attempt to answer the question himself.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading An infinitesimal beam of daylight had lit up the black horizon of his threatened future.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Everything hung upon that insecure thread of official amenability.
infinitesimalnounUS /ˌɪnfɪnɪˈtesɪməl/
(mathematics) a variable that has zero as its limit
From this reading An infinitesimal beam of daylight had lit up the black horizon of his threatened future.
insecureadjectiveUS /ˈɪnsəkjər/
not firm or firmly fixed; likely to fail or give way
From this reading Everything hung upon that insecure thread of official amenability.
conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
Kate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
provided with artificial light
From this reading An infinitesimal beam of daylight had lit up the black horizon of his threatened future.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
matureadjectiveUS /məˈtʃʊr/
characteristic of maturity
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
momentousadjectiveUS /moʊˈmentəs/
of very great significance
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
used to form the superlative
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He dared not attempt to answer the question himself.
obscuritynounUS /əbsˈkjʊrəti/
the quality of being unclear or abstruse and hard to understand
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading An infinitesimal beam of daylight had lit up the black horizon of his threatened future.
having official authority or sanction
From this reading Everything hung upon that insecure thread of official amenability.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
overwhelmverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelm/
overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
painfullyadverbUS /ˈpeɪnfəli/
unpleasantly
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
by chance
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
sprungverbUS /sprʌŋ/
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
the rays of the sun
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
threadverbUS /θred/
to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
From this reading Everything hung upon that insecure thread of official amenability.
(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered
From this reading An infinitesimal beam of daylight had lit up the black horizon of his threatened future.
threateningadjectiveUS /ˈθretənɪŋ/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
push forcefully
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading An infinitesimal beam of daylight had lit up the black horizon of his threatened future.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Everything hung upon that insecure thread of official amenability.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
in the company of; together with
From this reading ANTAGONISTS Fyles endured perhaps the most anxious time that had ever fallen to his lot, during the few days following his momentous interview with Kate.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was a question, a painfully doubtful question, as to whether it would mature and develop into a glorious sunlight, or whether the threatening clouds would overwhelm it, and thrust it back into the obscurity whence it had sprung.
