used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
anew
From this reading Now it was in sight again—at least, some figure was there.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Terry and Arden drew closer together, instinctively, for mutual protection.
from appearances alone
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
Arden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Terry and Arden drew closer together, instinctively, for mutual protection.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Now it was in sight again—at least, some figure was there.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
capering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
clearingnounUS /ˈklɪrɪŋ/
a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading Terry and Arden drew closer together, instinctively, for mutual protection.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Terry and Arden drew closer together, instinctively, for mutual protection.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
firnounUS /fɜːr/
nonresinous wood of a fir tree
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Terry and Arden drew closer together, instinctively, for mutual protection.
a mental representation of some haunting experience
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
gleamingnounUS /ˈɡliːmɪŋ/
a flash of light (especially reflected light)
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
GrannynounUS /ˈɡræni/
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
HowenounUS /haʊ/
United States editor (1920-1993)
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
instinctivelyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈstɪŋktɪvliː/
as a matter of instinct
From this reading Terry and Arden drew closer together, instinctively, for mutual protection.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading Now it was in sight again—at least, some figure was there.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
the force of workers available
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
past form of “murmur” — speak softly or indistinctly
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
mutualadjectiveUS /ˈmjuːtʃuːəl/
common to or shared by two or more parties
From this reading Terry and Arden drew closer together, instinctively, for mutual protection.
mysteriouslyadverbUS /ˌmɪˈstɪriəsli/
in a cryptic manner
From this reading And that figure had mysteriously vanished.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now it was in sight again—at least, some figure was there.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
the activity of protecting someone or something
From this reading Terry and Arden drew closer together, instinctively, for mutual protection.
recallingverbUS /rɪˈkɔːlɪŋ/
-ing form of “recall” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
screennounUS /skriːn/
a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading Now it was in sight again—at least, some figure was there.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Now it was in sight again—at least, some figure was there.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
TerrynounUS /ˈteri/
English actress (1847-1928)
From this reading Terry and Arden drew closer together, instinctively, for mutual protection.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And that figure had mysteriously vanished.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Now it was in sight again—at least, some figure was there.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading Terry and Arden drew closer together, instinctively, for mutual protection.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
uncannyadjectiveUS /ənˈkæni/
suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
having passed out of existence
From this reading And that figure had mysteriously vanished.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
a Caucasian
From this reading It was uncanny to see this strange, scarlet figure capering about in the little clearing, seen through a screen of fir trees and against a background of gleaming white snow.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading “The ghost of Patience Howe,” murmured Arden, recalling the story Granny had told—recalling what the men had said about seeing an apparently dead woman, in a red cloak, on a bed in the old Hall.
