used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
any thing at all
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
make calm or still
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
clergyman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
clutchingverbUS /ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
intentionally conceived
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
droppingadjectiveUS /ˈdrɑːpɪŋ/
coming down freely under the influence of gravity
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
divisible by two
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
set up or found
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
in a gradual manner
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
glarenounUS /ɡler/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading His heart rose into his throat.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
indexnounUS /ˈɪndeks/
a numerical scale used to compare variables with one another or with some reference number
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
inwardlyadverbUS /ˈɪnwərdli/
with respect to private feelings
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
jerkverbUS /dʒɜːrk/
pull, or move with a sudden movement
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
leaptverbUS /lept/
inflected form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
held up in the air
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
murmurnounUS /ˈmɜːrmər/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
not any; not one
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading His heart rose into his throat.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
shaftnounUS /ʃæft/
a line that forms the length of an arrow pointer
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
sickeningadjectiveUS /ˈsɪkənɪŋ/
causing or able to cause nausea
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
stationaryadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪʃəneri/
standing still
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
moving very fast
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
carry out
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
in or at that place or location
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading His heart rose into his throat.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
tubnounUS /tʌb/
a relatively large open container that you fill with water and use to wash the body
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
uncomfortableadjectiveUS /ənˈkʌmfərtəbəl/
conducive to or feeling mental discomfort
From this reading For an uncomfortable five seconds or so he remained stationary; then there was a jerk—another—and the dark figures, the lines of faces, and the glare of the fires leapt suddenly above his head.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He found himself dropping through space with a swift, sickening motion, as of one falling away from himself.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading He stepped gravely into the tub amid a low murmur, and, clutching the iron bar above it, felt himself at a word of command lifted gently into the air, and swung over the shaft.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The young clergyman’s face, as he walked forward to the shaft, formed no index to his mind, for while it remained calm and even wore a faint smile, he was inwardly conscious of a strong desire to take hold of anything which presented itself, even a straw.
