Chapter XII

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

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

the state of being absent

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

not being in a specified place

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

later than; following

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

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

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

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

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

past form of “assail” — attack someone physically or emotionally

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

marked by assurance; exhibiting confidence

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

plural of “beast” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

plural of “conclusion” — a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration

From this reading The possibility of their having missed their way was the most temperate of her conclusions.

a lake in southeastern Germany on the northern side of the Swiss Alps; forms part of the Rhine River

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

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

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

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

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

property of a personal character that is portable but not used in business

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

experiencing or showing fear

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

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

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading The possibility of their having missed their way was the most temperate of her conclusions.

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

From this reading The possibility of their having missed their way was the most temperate of her conclusions.

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

be a lodger; stay temporarily

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

a midday meal

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

people who are wounded

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

not caught with the senses or the mind

From this reading The possibility of their having missed their way was the most temperate of her conclusions.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

used to form the superlative

From this reading The possibility of their having missed their way was the most temperate of her conclusions.

a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

a form of address for a man

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

common name for an edible agaric (contrasting with the inedible toadstool)

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

above and across; more than

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

seen in the mind as a mental image

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

a future prospect or potential

From this reading The possibility of their having missed their way was the most temperate of her conclusions.

a very steep cliff

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

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

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

light soft moderately strong wood of spruce trees; used especially for timbers and millwork

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

a small amount (especially of food or wine)

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

(of weather or climate) free from extremes; mild; or characteristic of such weather or climate

From this reading The possibility of their having missed their way was the most temperate of her conclusions.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

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

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

in or at that place or location

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They had arrived early after luncheon, and learning that Frank and Constance had not been seen there during the morning, Mrs. Deane had immediately assured herself that dire misfortune had befallen the absent ones.

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

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

plural of “vision” — a vivid mental image

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

plural of “walk” — the act of traveling by foot

From this reading It happened that day that Mr. and Mrs. Deane had taken one of their rare walks over to Spruce Lodge.

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

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The possibility of their having missed their way was the most temperate of her conclusions.

marked by extreme lack of restraint or control

From this reading She had visions of them lying maimed and dying at the foot of some fearful precipice; she pictured them being assailed by wild beasts; she imagined them tasting of some strange mushroom and instantly falling dead as a result.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.

but in spite of that

From this reading DURING THE ABSENCE OF CONSTANCE Yet the adventure on the mountain was not without its ill effects.