used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It appeared to be the keeper’s chief room while on duty.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It appeared to be the keeper’s chief room while on duty.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
brieflyadverbUS /ˈbriːfli/
for a short time
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
brilliantlyadverbUS /ˈbrɪljəntli/
with brightness
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
a person who is in charge
From this reading It appeared to be the keeper’s chief room while on duty.
columnnounUS /ˈkɑːləm/
a line of units following one after another
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
daytimenounUS /ˈdeɪtaɪm/
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
true confidential information
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading It appeared to be the keeper’s chief room while on duty.
electricadjectiveUS /ɪˈlektrɪk/
using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
the act of giving
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
housedverbUS /haʊzd/
past form of “house” — contain or cover
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
illuminatedadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈluːməneɪtəd/
provided with artificial light
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
intervalsnounUS /ˈɪntərvəlz/
plural of “interval” — a definite length of time marked off by two instants
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
keeper's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It appeared to be the keeper’s chief room while on duty.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It appeared to be the keeper’s chief room while on duty.
past form of “pour” — cause to run
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
shaftnounUS /ʃæft/
a line that forms the length of an arrow pointer
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
slitsnounUS /slɪts/
plural of “slit” — a long narrow opening
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
spacedadjectiveUS /speɪst/
spaced apart
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
spiralnounUS /ˈspaɪrəl/
a plane curve traced by a point circling about the center but at increasing distances from the center
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
staircasenounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
make steady
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
successive (without a break)
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
the rays of the sun
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
trapnounUS /træp/
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
directed up
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Taking in all these details briefly the boys followed their friend up and around the shaft, step by step, until they came to another trap door, through which they made their way, and so entered a small room.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It extended straight upward for many feet, a spiral staircase leading up to the room which housed the light itself.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading It appeared to be the keeper’s chief room while on duty.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading The whole shaft was brilliantly illuminated by electric lights spaced along the wall, giving a steady light to the spiral stairs.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading At intervals along the shaft narrow slits served for windows, through which, in the daytime, sunlight poured into the column.
