Chapter II

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

filled with fear or apprehension

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

plural of “ail” — aromatic bulb used as seasoning

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Oh, father, why is it dark? why is there such a terrible thing as darkness? why cannot it be always day?"

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading And the child said, "Oh, father, I am afraid of the dark.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Oh, father, why is it dark? why is there such a terrible thing as darkness? why cannot it be always day?"

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Oh, father, why is it dark? why is there such a terrible thing as darkness? why cannot it be always day?"

for the reason that

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Oh, father, why is it dark? why is there such a terrible thing as darkness? why cannot it be always day?"

a young person of either sex

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

baby bed with high sides made of slats

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

absence of light or illumination

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Oh, father, why is it dark? why is there such a terrible thing as darkness? why cannot it be always day?"

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Oh, father, why is it dark? why is there such a terrible thing as darkness? why cannot it be always day?"

dearly loved

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

a special loved one

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

opinion or judgment

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading And the child said, "Oh, father, I am afraid of the dark.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Oh, father, why is it dark? why is there such a terrible thing as darkness? why cannot it be always day?"

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading And the child said, "Oh, father, I am afraid of the dark.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

inflected form of “sob” — weep convulsively

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

plural of “sob” — a dyspneic condition

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Oh, father, why is it dark? why is there such a terrible thing as darkness? why cannot it be always day?"

diminish gradually

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading Oh, father, why is it dark? why is there such a terrible thing as darkness? why cannot it be always day?"

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

a special situation

From this reading Oh, father, why is it dark? why is there such a terrible thing as darkness? why cannot it be always day?"

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading THE STARS A little dear child lay in its crib and sobbed, because it was afraid of the dark.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"

in the company of; together with

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Nurse says I am too big to have a taper; but all the corners are full of dreadful blackness, and I think there are Things in them with eyes, that would look at me if I looked at them; and if they looked at me I should die.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading And its father, in the room below, heard the sobs, and came up, and said, "What ails you, my dearie, and why do you cry?"