used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After waiting awhile the young man pulled the bell.
anew
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading From within the house a cracked and jangling tinkle echoed faintly, and then quivered into silence.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
arousedadjectiveUS /ərˈaʊzd/
aroused to action
From this reading But the knocking, repeated more loudly, aroused no human response.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
awhileadverbUS /əˈwaɪl/
for a short time
From this reading After waiting awhile the young man pulled the bell.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading After waiting awhile the young man pulled the bell.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the knocking, repeated more loudly, aroused no human response.
cautiousadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːʃəs/
showing careful forethought
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
Charles'snounUS /ˈtʃɑːrlzɪz/
possessive form of “charles” — King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
cliffsnounUS /klɪfs/
plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
crackedadjectiveUS /krækt/
used of skin roughened as a result of cold or exposure
From this reading From within the house a cracked and jangling tinkle echoed faintly, and then quivered into silence.
plural of “cry” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
echoedverbUS /ˈekoʊd/
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading From within the house a cracked and jangling tinkle echoed faintly, and then quivered into silence.
faintlyadverbUS /ˈfeɪntli/
to a faint degree or weakly perceived
From this reading From within the house a cracked and jangling tinkle echoed faintly, and then quivered into silence.
FlintnounUS /flɪnt/
a hard kind of stone; a form of silica more opaque than chalcedony
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From within the house a cracked and jangling tinkle echoed faintly, and then quivered into silence.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
gullsnounUS /ɡʌlz/
plural of “gull” — a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
hoarseadjectiveUS /hɔːrs/
deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness or emotion
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading But the knocking, repeated more loudly, aroused no human response.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading From within the house a cracked and jangling tinkle echoed faintly, and then quivered into silence.
janglingadjective
like the discordant ringing of nonmusical metallic objects striking together
From this reading From within the house a cracked and jangling tinkle echoed faintly, and then quivered into silence.
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
knockingnounUS /ˈnɑːkɪŋ/
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
From this reading But the knocking, repeated more loudly, aroused no human response.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
loudlyadverbUS /ˈlaʊdli/
with relatively high volume
From this reading But the knocking, repeated more loudly, aroused no human response.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading After waiting awhile the young man pulled the bell.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading But the knocking, repeated more loudly, aroused no human response.
not any; not one
From this reading But the knocking, repeated more loudly, aroused no human response.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading After waiting awhile the young man pulled the bell.
quivered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From within the house a cracked and jangling tinkle echoed faintly, and then quivered into silence.
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
recurring again and again
From this reading But the knocking, repeated more loudly, aroused no human response.
responsenounUS /rɪˈspɑːns/
a result
From this reading But the knocking, repeated more loudly, aroused no human response.
reverberateverbUS /rɪˈvɜːrbərət/
ring or echo with sound
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading From within the house a cracked and jangling tinkle echoed faintly, and then quivered into silence.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
tinklenounUS /ˈtɪŋkəl/
a light clear metallic sound as of a small bell
From this reading From within the house a cracked and jangling tinkle echoed faintly, and then quivered into silence.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading After waiting awhile the young man pulled the bell.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He rang again, but there was no sound of foot or voice; no noise but the cries of the gulls overhead and the hoarse beat of the sea at the foot of the cliffs.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading From within the house a cracked and jangling tinkle echoed faintly, and then quivered into silence.
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading Flint House looked a picture of desolation in the chill grey day, wrapped in such silence that Charles's cautious knock seemed to reverberate through the stillness around.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading After waiting awhile the young man pulled the bell.
