used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A cold wind blew in fitful gusts, nipping her cheeks and hands.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Her footsteps smote the wretchedly-laid street, and echoed on the loneliness.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The town lay around her desolate.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard
From this reading A cold wind blew in fitful gusts, nipping her cheeks and hands.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading A cold wind blew in fitful gusts, nipping her cheeks and hands.
cock-crow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading A cold wind blew in fitful gusts, nipping her cheeks and hands.
creakverbUS /kriːk/
make a high-pitched, screeching noise
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
desolateadjectiveUS /ˈdesələt/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading The town lay around her desolate.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
echoedverbUS /ˈekoʊd/
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading Her footsteps smote the wretchedly-laid street, and echoed on the loneliness.
fitfuladjectiveUS /ˈfɪtfəl/
occurring in spells and often abruptly
From this reading A cold wind blew in fitful gusts, nipping her cheeks and hands.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading Her footsteps smote the wretchedly-laid street, and echoed on the loneliness.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
gildedadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪldɪd/
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
gustsnounUS /ɡʌsts/
plural of “gust” — a strong current of air
From this reading A cold wind blew in fitful gusts, nipping her cheeks and hands.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading A cold wind blew in fitful gusts, nipping her cheeks and hands.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The town lay around her desolate.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A cold wind blew in fitful gusts, nipping her cheeks and hands.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The town lay around her desolate.
lonelinessnounUS /ˈloʊnlinəs/
the state of being alone in solitary isolation
From this reading Her footsteps smote the wretchedly-laid street, and echoed on the loneliness.
loomedverbUS /luːmd/
past form of “loom” — come into view indistinctly, often threateningly
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
lumbernounUS /ˈlʌmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
market-place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
nippingadjectiveUS /ˈnɪpɪŋ/
capable of wounding
From this reading A cold wind blew in fitful gusts, nipping her cheeks and hands.
obscuredverbUS /əbsˈkjʊrd/
past form of “obscure” — make less visible or unclear
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Her footsteps smote the wretchedly-laid street, and echoed on the loneliness.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
prolongedadjectiveUS /prəˈlɔːŋd/
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
quavernounUS /ˈkweɪvər/
a tremulous sound
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
screamsnounUS /skriːmz/
plural of “scream” — sharp piercing cry
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
shapelessadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪpləs/
having no definite form or distinct shape
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
sheennounUS /ʃiːn/
the visual property of something that shines with reflected light
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
shriller
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
smote
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her footsteps smote the wretchedly-laid street, and echoed on the loneliness.
statuenounUS /ˈstætʃuː/
a sculpture representing a human or animal
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
strainingnounUS /ˈstreɪnɪŋ/
an intense or violent exertion
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Her footsteps smote the wretchedly-laid street, and echoed on the loneliness.
successionnounUS /səkˈseʃən/
a following of one thing after another in time
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The town lay around her desolate.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading The town lay around her desolate.
create by training and teaching
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
vaguenessnounUS /ˈveɪɡnɪs/
unclearness by virtue of being poorly expressed or not coherent in meaning
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
any of various kinds of wheeled vehicles drawn by an animal or a tractor
From this reading She heard the lumber and creak of a wagon straining out of sight; the quaver of a cock-crow, then one shriller and more prolonged; two or three thin screams in quick succession from a distant train.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading A cold wind blew in fitful gusts, nipping her cheeks and hands.
in the company of; together with
From this reading On the vagueness of the market-place the gilded statue, with its sheen obscured, loomed shapeless as she passed.
wretchedly-laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her footsteps smote the wretchedly-laid street, and echoed on the loneliness.
