used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It had been snowing for hours, steadily, thickly, and the cold was intense.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It had been snowing for hours, steadily, thickly, and the cold was intense.
billowsnounUS /ˈbɪloʊz/
plural of “billow” — a large sea wave
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The dead heather by the roadside had long been completely hidden under that ever-increasing load.
cabnounUS /kæb/
a compartment at the front of a motor vehicle or locomotive where driver sits
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading It had been snowing for hours, steadily, thickly, and the cold was intense.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading The dead heather by the roadside had long been completely hidden under that ever-increasing load.
crawlingnounUS /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was very dark over the moors.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading The dead heather by the roadside had long been completely hidden under that ever-increasing load.
deathlyadjectiveUS /ˈdeθli/
having the physical appearance of death
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
ever-increasing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dead heather by the roadside had long been completely hidden under that ever-increasing load.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It had been snowing for hours, steadily, thickly, and the cold was intense.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had been snowing for hours, steadily, thickly, and the cold was intense.
heathernounUS /ˈheðər/
common Old World heath represented by many varieties; low evergreen grown widely in the northern hemisphere
From this reading The dead heather by the roadside had long been completely hidden under that ever-increasing load.
not accessible to view
From this reading The dead heather by the roadside had long been completely hidden under that ever-increasing load.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading It had been snowing for hours, steadily, thickly, and the cold was intense.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
From this reading It had been snowing for hours, steadily, thickly, and the cold was intense.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was very dark over the moors.
lampsnounUS /læmps/
plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
loadnounUS /loʊd/
weight to be borne or conveyed
From this reading The dead heather by the roadside had long been completely hidden under that ever-increasing load.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
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 The dead heather by the roadside had long been completely hidden under that ever-increasing load.
moorsnounUS /mʊrz/
plural of “moor” — one of the Muslim people of north Africa; of mixed Arab and Berber descent; converted to Islam in the 8th century; conqueror of Spain in the 8th century
From this reading It was very dark over the moors.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was very dark over the moors.
the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
past form of “reveal” — make visible
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
roadsidenounUS /ˈroʊdsaɪd/
edge of a way or road or path
From this reading The dead heather by the roadside had long been completely hidden under that ever-increasing load.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
snowingverbUS /ˈsnoʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “snow” — fall as snow
From this reading It had been snowing for hours, steadily, thickly, and the cold was intense.
characterized by or preferring solitude
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading It had been snowing for hours, steadily, thickly, and the cold was intense.
stretchingnounUS /ˈstretʃɪŋ/
act of expanding by lengthening or widening
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The dead heather by the roadside had long been completely hidden under that ever-increasing load.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was very dark over the moors.
the-wisp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
thicklyadverbUS /ˈθɪkli/
spoken with poor articulation as if with a thick tongue
From this reading It had been snowing for hours, steadily, thickly, and the cold was intense.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The dead heather by the roadside had long been completely hidden under that ever-increasing load.
untroddenadjective
lacking pathways
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was very dark over the moors.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was very dark over the moors.
in or to any place at all
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
a Caucasian
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
will-o
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The solitary lights of a cab crawling almost at a foot pace along the lonely road shone like a will-o'-the-wisp through the snow.
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading It lay in great billows of white wherever the carriage lamps revealed it, stretching away into the darkness, an immense, untrodden desert, wrapped in a deathly silence, more terrible than any sound.
