used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
absorbedadjectiveUS /əbˈzɔːrbd/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading What he said was lost in the night breeze which swept past them as they flew on against it.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
attainverbUS /əˈteɪn/
to gain with effort
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading What he said was lost in the night breeze which swept past them as they flew on against it.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
a young person of either sex
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
not accessible to view
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
dalenounUS /deɪl/
an open river valley (in a hilly area)
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
plural of “difficulty” — an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
easiestadjectiveUS /ˈiːziəst/
superlative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading What he said was lost in the night breeze which swept past them as they flew on against it.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
highwaynounUS /ˈhaɪweɪ/
a major road for any form of motor transport
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
Isabel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
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 Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading What he said was lost in the night breeze which swept past them as they flew on against it.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading What he said was lost in the night breeze which swept past them as they flew on against it.
and nothing more
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading What he said was lost in the night breeze which swept past them as they flew on against it.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
speedilyadverbUS /ˈspiːdəli/
with speed
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
Stapylton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
possessing sweep
From this reading What he said was lost in the night breeze which swept past them as they flew on against it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading What he said was lost in the night breeze which swept past them as they flew on against it.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What he said was lost in the night breeze which swept past them as they flew on against it.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
travellernounUS /ˈtrævələr/
a person who changes location
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
a shaky motion
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
precisely as stated
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no moon, and the night grew speedily dark; and the road was no smooth, level highway, but a road up hill and down dale, as was natural to the country.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading ‘It is only the child,’ Isabel answered in the easiest tone she could attain to, though her very lips were trembling with excitement, and resolution, and alarm.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
at the time that
From this reading ‘What is it?’ he said, when little Margaret with a struggle made herself visible from under the cloak.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading What he said was lost in the night breeze which swept past them as they flew on against it.
belonging to which person
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Stapylton was so absorbed with its difficulties that he took no notice of the little traveller whose presence could not long be concealed.
