used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was after midnight before the house grew quiet.
alertadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
awhileadverbUS /əˈwaɪl/
for a short time
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was after midnight before the house grew quiet.
Betty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to Betty that that night would never end.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading It seemed to Betty that that night would never end.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
ghostlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊstli/
resembling or characteristic of a phantom
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading It was after midnight before the house grew quiet.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading It was after midnight before the house grew quiet.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed to Betty that that night would never end.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
MEASLESnounUS /ˈmiːzəlz/
an acute and highly contagious viral disease marked by distinct red spots followed by a rash; occurs primarily in children
From this reading MORE MEASLES.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading It was after midnight before the house grew quiet.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading MORE MEASLES.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It seemed to Betty that that night would never end.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It seemed to Betty that that night would never end.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading It was after midnight before the house grew quiet.
quiveringnounUS /ˈkwɪvərɪŋ/
a shaky motion
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed to Betty that that night would never end.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It seemed to Betty that that night would never end.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was after midnight before the house grew quiet.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed to Betty that that night would never end.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was after midnight before the house grew quiet.
waveringnounUS /ˈweɪvərɪŋ/
indecision in speech or action
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
at any time that; every time that
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
a Caucasian
From this reading Then, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those ghostly figures dancing before her in a long, white wavering line.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
in the company of; together with
From this reading After awhile she gave up the attempt to sleep, and lay with her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, alert, and quivering at the slightest sound.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It seemed to Betty that that night would never end.
