used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
at or in the front
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
for the reason that
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The face began to move nearer, slowly, inch by inch.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The face began to move nearer, slowly, inch by inch.
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 But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
creepverbUS /kriːp/
move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
distortedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɔːrtəd/
so badly formed or out of shape as to be ugly
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
fearfullyadverb
in fear
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
featurenounUS /ˈfiːtʃər/
a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
footlightsnounUS /ˈfʊtlaɪts/
theater light at the front of a stage that illuminate the set and actors
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
past form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
From this reading "Oh, I want to go home!" she gasped.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Oh, I want to go home!" she gasped.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading "Oh, I want to go home!" she gasped.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Oh, I want to go home!" she gasped.
inchnounUS /ɪntʃ/
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading The face began to move nearer, slowly, inch by inch.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The face began to move nearer, slowly, inch by inch.
narrowedadjectiveUS /ˈneroʊd/
reduced in size as by squeezing together
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading The face began to move nearer, slowly, inch by inch.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, I want to go home!" she gasped.
and nothing more
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
move upward
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
cut with a saw
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The face began to move nearer, slowly, inch by inch.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
startlinglyadverbUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋliː/
in a startling manner
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
steepadjectiveUS /stiːp/
having a sharp inclination
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
successive (without a break)
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
with strength or in a strong manner
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
the upper part of anything
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
a shaky motion
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
upsidenounUS /ˈʌpˈsaɪd/
the highest or uppermost side of anything
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading The face was a man's, and upon it the footlights beat so strongly that each feature was startlingly vivid.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "Oh, I want to go home!" she gasped.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
weaklyadverbUS /ˈwiːkli/
in a weak or feeble manner or to a minor degree
From this reading But it was not the fact that she saw _only_ a face that set her knees to trembling weakly--nor the fact that the face was fearfully distorted; but because it was _upside down!_ She stared, feeling herself grow cold, her flesh creep.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
in or at the place that
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading What she first saw was a face!--straight ahead, at the top of a steep rise, where the wide road narrowed to a point.
