used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
anew
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was a closed door at the top of the stairs, and of course, it was locked, but the key was in it.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
boardsnounUS /bɔːrdz/
(used in the plural) the stage of a theater
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was a closed door at the top of the stairs, and of course, it was locked, but the key was in it.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading There was a closed door at the top of the stairs, and of course, it was locked, but the key was in it.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading There was a closed door at the top of the stairs, and of course, it was locked, but the key was in it.
cracksnounUS /kræks/
plural of “crack” — a long narrow opening
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
Doesn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Doesn’t that seem sort of queer?”
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading There was a closed door at the top of the stairs, and of course, it was locked, but the key was in it.
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
flickeringadjectiveUS /ˈflɪkərɪŋ/
shining unsteadily
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
fognounUS /fɑːɡ/
droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
guardedadjectiveUS /ˈɡɑːrdəd/
prudent
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading There was a closed door at the top of the stairs, and of course, it was locked, but the key was in it.
lanternnounUS /ˈlæntərn/
light in a transparent protective case
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
go away from a place
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
in order that something should not happen
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading There was a closed door at the top of the stairs, and of course, it was locked, but the key was in it.
Nann
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
many times at short intervals
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
and nothing more
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
puffverbUS /pʌf/
smoke and exhale strongly
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading “Doesn’t that seem sort of queer?”
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading “Doesn’t that seem sort of queer?”
shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/
protected from danger or bad weather
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading “Doesn’t that seem sort of queer?”
sputterverbUS /ˈspʌtər/
make an explosive sound
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading There was a closed door at the top of the stairs, and of course, it was locked, but the key was in it.
stairwaynounUS /ˈsterweɪ/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Doesn’t that seem sort of queer?”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a closed door at the top of the stairs, and of course, it was locked, but the key was in it.
(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Time and again a puff of air threatened to put out the flickering flame in the lantern.
the upper part of anything
From this reading There was a closed door at the top of the stairs, and of course, it was locked, but the key was in it.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The girls cautiously crept up the back stairway which was sheltered from fog and wind only by rough boards between which were often wide cracks.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With one hand Nann guarded it, lest it suddenly sputter out and leave them in darkness.
