used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They had much the same feeling as one who had received a stunning blow.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Until the paralysis had passed there could be no pain.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
Betty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
exhale hard
From this reading They had much the same feeling as one who had received a stunning blow.
a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Until the paralysis had passed there could be no pain.
drainedadjectiveUS /dreɪnd/
emptied or exhausted of (as by drawing off e.g. water or other liquid)
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
dreadingverbUS /ˈdredɪŋ/
-ing form of “dread” — be afraid or scared of; be frightened of
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading They had much the same feeling as one who had received a stunning blow.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
and nothing more
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading That would come later.
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 It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading They had much the same feeling as one who had received a stunning blow.
information about recent and important events
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
not any; not one
From this reading Until the paralysis had passed there could be no pain.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
numbadjectiveUS /nʌm/
lacking sensation
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading They had much the same feeling as one who had received a stunning blow.
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading Until the paralysis had passed there could be no pain.
paralysisnounUS /pərˈæləsəs/
loss of the ability to move a body part
From this reading Until the paralysis had passed there could be no pain.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Until the paralysis had passed there could be no pain.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading They had much the same feeling as one who had received a stunning blow.
Identical; not different.
From this reading They had much the same feeling as one who had received a stunning blow.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
in a strange manner
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
stunningadjectiveUS /ˈstʌnɪŋ/
commanding attention
From this reading They had much the same feeling as one who had received a stunning blow.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Until the paralysis had passed there could be no pain.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
UntilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Until the paralysis had passed there could be no pain.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
which person or people
From this reading They had much the same feeling as one who had received a stunning blow.
wide-eyedadjective
exhibiting childlike simplicity and credulity
From this reading The girls stared wide-eyed at Betty while slowly the color drained from their faces.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading That would come later.
but in spite of that
From this reading It was true they had been dreading just this news for a long, long time, yet now that it had come they felt strangely quiet and numb.
