used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
arousedadjectiveUS /ərˈaʊzd/
aroused to action
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
betrayverbUS /bɪˈtreɪ/
reveal unintentionally
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
blazingadjectiveUS /ˈbleɪzɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
crouchingverbUS /ˈkraʊtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
diggingnounUS /ˈdɪɡɪŋ/
the act of digging
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
dilatedverbUS /ˌdaɪˈleɪtɪd/
past form of “dilate” — become wider
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
extinguishedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/
of a conditioned response; caused to die out because of the absence or withdrawal of reinforcement
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
opinion or judgment
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
flaredverbUS /flerd/
past form of “flare” — burn brightly
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
flickeredverbUS /ˈflɪkərd/
past form of “flicker” — move back and forth very rapidly
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
possessive form of “girl” — a young female
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
glarenounUS /ɡler/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
grabbedverbUS /ɡræbd/
inflected form of “grab” — take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
growlnounUS /ɡraʊl/
the sound of growling (as made by animals)
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
a particular point in time
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
Nathalie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
not divisible by two
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
outlinenounUS /ˈaʊtlaɪn/
the line that appears to bound an object
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
pushingnounUS /ˈpʊʃɪŋ/
the act of applying force in order to move something away
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
filled with bewilderment
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
with speed
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
quiververbUS /ˈkwɪvər/
shake with fast, tremulous movements
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
quiveringnounUS /ˈkwɪvərɪŋ/
a shaky motion
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
Identical; not different.
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
silhouettedverbUS /ˌsɪləˈwetɪd/
past form of “silhouette” — project on a background, such as a screen, like a silhouette
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
smotherverbUS /ˈsmʌðər/
envelop completely
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
snuggledadjectiveUS /ˈsnʌɡəld/
drawn or pressed close to someone or something for or as if for affection or protection
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
spadenounUS /speɪd/
a playing card in the major suit that has one or more black figures on it
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
having a supporting base
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
caught or fixed
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
Tige
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/
a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
twitchingnounUS /ˈtwɪtʃɪŋ/
a sudden muscle spasm; especially one caused by a nervous condition
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
a message informing of danger
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
which person or people
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading As the girl’s eyes dilated in puzzled wonder as to who the man was, and why he was digging in the woods at this hour of the night, a queer, odd quiver, or twitching of his head at times, as he bent over the spade, aroused within her a vague consciousness that she had seen some one before who had that same peculiar motion.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Nathalie, quickly pushing Jean from her lap, grabbed the dog, and snuggled him close to smother the growl, afraid that the man would discover that he had been seen.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading Tige, the little yellow dog crouching at their feet, at this moment gave a low growl, a warning that he might betray their presence.
yellowishadjectiveUS /ˈjeloʊɪʃ/
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading The quivering, yellowish glare from a torch that had been stuck in the ground by his side—as it flickered and flared, sometimes almost extinguished by the night air, and then suddenly blazing to a vivid flame—silhouetted his form in sharp outline against the high rock by which he was standing.
an affirmative
From this reading THE CABIN ON THE MOUNTAIN Yes, it was a man digging in the ground.
