Chapter I · Chapter 1

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

From this reading "There _is_ a God after all."

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

higher than, or over, something

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

perfect or complete or pure

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

later than; following

From this reading "There _is_ a God after all."

anew

From this reading In that sudden after silence he had known beyond any question that might ever again arise, that there was now a God--God had watched him.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

(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 "There _is_ a God after all."

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

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

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading In that sudden after silence he had known beyond any question that might ever again arise, that there was now a God--God had watched him.

come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading In that sudden after silence he had known beyond any question that might ever again arise, that there was now a God--God had watched him.

weapons considered collectively

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

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

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

on the far side of; further than

From this reading In that sudden after silence he had known beyond any question that might ever again arise, that there was now a God--God had watched him.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

coldness due to a cold environment

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

lacking grace in movement or posture

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

fall or come down violently

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

unpleasantly cool and humid

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

without light

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

inflected form of “drip” — fall in drops

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

a ridge of sand created by the wind; found in deserts or near lakes and oceans

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

at any time

From this reading In that sudden after silence he had known beyond any question that might ever again arise, that there was now a God--God had watched him.

having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading "There _is_ a God after all."

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

to a considerable degree

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

not solid; having a space or gap or cavity

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

exceedingly bad

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

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

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

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

From this reading "There _is_ a God after all."

apprehended with certainty

From this reading In that sudden after silence he had known beyond any question that might ever again arise, that there was now a God--God had watched him.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

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

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

the common people generally

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading In that sudden after silence he had known beyond any question that might ever again arise, that there was now a God--God had watched him.

become covered with mist

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

filled or abounding with fog or mist

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

used to form the superlative

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

the month following October and preceding December

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

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

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

on one occasion

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

a course of conduct

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading In that sudden after silence he had known beyond any question that might ever again arise, that there was now a God--God had watched him.

settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

with low volume

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

not moving or operating freely

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

(poetic) tranquil silence

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

successive (without a break)

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading In that sudden after silence he had known beyond any question that might ever again arise, that there was now a God--God had watched him.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

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

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

in or at that place or location

From this reading "There _is_ a God after all."

the upper part of anything

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

plural of “twig” — a small branch or division of a branch (especially a terminal division); usually applied to branches of the current or preceding year

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

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

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading In that sudden after silence he had known beyond any question that might ever again arise, that there was now a God--God had watched him.

any plant that crowds out cultivated plants

From this reading There was about him now the most absolute stillness: some trees dripped in the mist; far above him, on the top of the hill, the little path showed darkly--below him, in the hollow, black masses of fern and weed lay heavily under the chill November air--at his feet there was the body.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading That was the immense conviction that faced him as he heard, slowly, softly, the leaves, the twigs, settle themselves after that first horrid crash which the clumsy body had made.

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading Olva Dune stood for an instant straight and stiff, his arms heavily at his side, and the dank, misty wood slipped back once more into silence.