used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
achedverbUS /eɪkt/
past form of “ache” — feel physical pain
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
bangedverbUS /bæŋd/
past form of “bang” — strike violently
From this reading A door banged loudly, and blessed silence followed.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
bed-clothes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He drew the bed-clothes tighter under his chin.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)
From this reading A door banged loudly, and blessed silence followed.
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
boardsnounUS /bɔːrdz/
(used in the plural) the stage of a theater
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
confined by bonds
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
chainsnounUS /tʃeɪnz/
metal shackles; for hands or legs
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
the protruding part of the lower jaw
From this reading He drew the bed-clothes tighter under his chin.
clatternounUS /ˈklætər/
a rattling noise (often produced by rapid movement)
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
creakingnounUS /ˈkriːkɪŋ/
a squeaking sound
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
day-song
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading A door banged loudly, and blessed silence followed.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading He drew the bed-clothes tighter under his chin.
opinion or judgment
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading A door banged loudly, and blessed silence followed.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
half-closed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
housekeeper's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
humverbUS /hʌm/
sing with closed lips
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
loudlyadverbUS /ˈlaʊdli/
with relatively high volume
From this reading A door banged loudly, and blessed silence followed.
McTaggart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
muffledadjectiveUS /ˈmʌfəld/
being or made softer or less loud or clear
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
pillownounUS /ˈpɪloʊ/
a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
platesnounUS /pleɪts/
plural of “plate” — (baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading A door banged loudly, and blessed silence followed.
sitting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
make steady
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
tighteradjectiveUS /ˈtaɪtər/
comparative of “tight” — closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading He drew the bed-clothes tighter under his chin.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
unusuallyadverbUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəli/
to a remarkable degree or extent
From this reading His head ached and he felt unusually tired and heavy, bound down to his pillow by invisible chains.
be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading McTaggart lay in bed, his eyes half-closed, watching the gray light spread from under the blind.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading From the sitting-room beyond came the clatter of plates, boards creaking in the wake of his housekeeper's step, and through the open window stole a muffled steady hum--the day-song of the London streets.
