used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
any thing at all
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
the act of burning something
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Mrs. Tabor kept her room, with Sheila and most of the time Lady busy with her.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
continuallyadverbUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəli/
seemingly without interruption
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
crisisnounUS /ˈkraɪsəs/
an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
having the power of driving or impelling
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
galenounUS /ɡeɪl/
a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
gustily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
hallucinationnounUS /həˌluːsəˈneɪʃən/
illusory perception; a common symptom of severe mental disorder
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
only a very short time before
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Tabor kept her room, with Sheila and most of the time Lady busy with her.
identitynounUS /aɪˈdentɪtiː/
the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
impendingadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpendɪŋ/
close in time; about to occur
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading Mrs. Tabor kept her room, with Sheila and most of the time Lady busy with her.
lashingnounUS /ˈlæʃɪŋ/
beating with a whip or strap or rope as a form of punishment
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
listlesslyadverbUS /ˈlɪstləsli/
in a listless manner
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
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 It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
Miriam
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Mrs. Tabor kept her room, with Sheila and most of the time Lady busy with her.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Tabor kept her room, with Sheila and most of the time Lady busy with her.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
the middle of the day
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The rest of us talked and read by snatches, and stared restlessly out of the rain-flecked windows.
physicallyadverbUS /ˈfɪzɪkəli/
in accord with physical laws
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
rain-flecked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rest of us talked and read by snatches, and stared restlessly out of the rain-flecked windows.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading The rest of us talked and read by snatches, and stared restlessly out of the rain-flecked windows.
To recall to mind.
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The rest of us talked and read by snatches, and stared restlessly out of the rain-flecked windows.
restlesslyadverbUS /ˈrestləsli/
in a restless manner
From this reading The rest of us talked and read by snatches, and stared restlessly out of the rain-flecked windows.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Mrs. Tabor kept her room, with Sheila and most of the time Lady busy with her.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
except for; apart from
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/
the month following August and preceding October
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
Sheila
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Tabor kept her room, with Sheila and most of the time Lady busy with her.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
slants
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
snatchesnounUS /ˈsnætʃɪz/
plural of “snatch” — a small fragment
From this reading The rest of us talked and read by snatches, and stared restlessly out of the rain-flecked windows.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The rest of us talked and read by snatches, and stared restlessly out of the rain-flecked windows.
stormyadjectiveUS /ˈstɔːrmi/
(especially of weather) affected or characterized by storms or commotion
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
TabornounUS /ˈteɪbər/
a small drum with one head of soft calfskin
From this reading Mrs. Tabor kept her room, with Sheila and most of the time Lady busy with her.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading The rest of us talked and read by snatches, and stared restlessly out of the rain-flecked windows.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Mrs. Tabor kept her room, with Sheila and most of the time Lady busy with her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
tossingverbUS /ˈtɔːsɪŋ/
-ing form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
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 FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
unnaturaladjectiveUS /ənˈnætʃərəl/
not in accordance with or determined by nature; contrary to nature
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
unspokenadjectiveUS /ənˈspoʊkən/
expressed without speech
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
unwillingadjectiveUS /ənˈwɪlɪŋ/
not disposed or inclined toward
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The rest of us talked and read by snatches, and stared restlessly out of the rain-flecked windows.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
waveredverbUS /ˈweɪvərd/
past form of “waver” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
weakenedadjectiveUS /ˈwiːkənd/
impaired by diminution
From this reading She seemed hardly to remember the night before, save as a vague shock; and physically she was less weakened by it than might have been expected; but her mind wavered continually, and she confused with her hallucination of Miriam the identity of those about her.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading It was so dark that until nearly noon we kept the lights burning; and through the unnatural morning we sat about listlessly, unwilling to talk about the impending crisis and unable to talk long of anything else for the unspoken weight of it upon our minds.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading The rest of us talked and read by snatches, and stared restlessly out of the rain-flecked windows.
in the company of; together with
From this reading FIGHTING WITH SHADOWS The morning came dark and stormy, with a September gale driving in from the Sound, and the trees lashing and tossing gustily through gray slants of rain.
