used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
in the past
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading EINAR NORBY still kept his bed.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
bleating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
EINAR
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading EINAR NORBY still kept his bed.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
gutternounUS /ˈɡʌtər/
a channel along the eaves or on the roof; collects and carries away rainwater
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading EINAR NORBY still kept his bed.
illnessnounUS /ˈɪlnəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
jingleverbUS /ˈdʒɪŋɡəl/
make a sound typical of metallic objects
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading EINAR NORBY still kept his bed.
KnutnounUS /knʌt/
king of Denmark and Norway who forced Edmund II to divide England with him; on the death of Edmund II, Canute became king of all England (994-1035)
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
immediately past
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
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 To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
for more time
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
meltverbUS /melt/
reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
NORBY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading EINAR NORBY still kept his bed.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
patchnounUS /pætʃ/
a small contrasting part of something
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
pillowsnounUS /ˈpɪloʊz/
plural of “pillow” — a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
precedingadjectiveUS /priˈsiːdɪŋ/
existing or coming before
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
cut with a saw
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
being or feeling set or kept apart from others
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
sledge-bells
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
starlingnounUS /ˈstɑːrlɪŋ/
gregarious birds native to the Old World
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
not in physical motion
From this reading EINAR NORBY still kept his bed.
carry out
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He sat up among his pillows in the middle of the day, and each day a little longer than on the preceding one.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
wheelsnounUS /wiːlz/
plural of “wheel” — a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading To Einar this illness was a black darkness that separated him from something that had happened long ago, and about which he could not now think.
in the company of; together with
From this reading One day, too, he heard the sheep being let out with a great deal of bleating in deep and high tones, and little Knut shouting at them from the steps.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading As the days passed, he saw the last patch of snow melt away down in the yard, and heard the noise of wheels take the place of the sledge-bells' jingle, and the starling making a noise in the gutter over his head.
