used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
activitynounUS /ækˈtɪvəti/
any specific behavior
From this reading Passivity rather than activity seemed her strength....
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It had no longer that quick grip and command with which she had begun.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading It had no longer that quick grip and command with which she had begun.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
dangledverbUS /ˈdæŋɡəld/
past form of “dangle” — hang freely
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
deliberatelyadverbUS /dɪˈlɪbərətli/
with intention; in an intentional manner
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
facultiesnounUS /ˈfækəltiz/
plural of “faculty” — one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
start firing a weapon
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
plural of “force” — a powerful effect or influence
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
assemble or get together
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
destroyed or killed
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
hold firmly
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
gripnounUS /ɡrɪp/
the act of grasping
From this reading It had no longer that quick grip and command with which she had begun.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
helplessnessnounUS /ˈhelpləsnəs/
powerlessness revealed by an inability to act
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
for more time
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
easily agitated
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
not any; not one
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
noticingverbUS /ˈnoʊtɪsɪŋ/
-ing form of “notice” — discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
on one occasion
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
PassivitynounUS /pəˈsɪvɪti/
the trait of remaining inactive; a lack of initiative
From this reading Passivity rather than activity seemed her strength....
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading It had no longer that quick grip and command with which she had begun.
on the contrary
From this reading Passivity rather than activity seemed her strength....
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
stiffnessnounUS /ˈstɪfnəs/
the physical property of being inflexible and hard to bend
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading Passivity rather than activity seemed her strength....
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Passivity rather than activity seemed her strength....
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading She sat back in silence for some minutes, looking now at the fire too, now at the figure opposite, noticing, however, that the helplessness seemed gone.
unnaturalnessnoun
the quality of being unnatural or not based on natural principles
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
uprightadjectiveUS /əˈpraɪt/
in a vertical position; not sloping
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It had no longer that quick grip and command with which she had begun.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Once more she began deliberately to attempt to gather her forces; but the will, it appeared, had lost its nervous grasp of the faculties.
in the company of; together with
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
but in spite of that
From this reading His hands dangled no longer; he sat upright, his hands clasped, yet with a curious look of stiffness and unnaturalness.
