used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This stupor continued as he walked home, and sat silent by the fire.
barnnounUS /bɑːrn/
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
exhale hard
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading This stupor continued as he walked home, and sat silent by the fire.
without stop or interruption
From this reading This stupor continued as he walked home, and sat silent by the fire.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading His powers were paralysed, and he could neither speak nor weep.
disappearingnounUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrɪŋ/
the act of leaving secretly or without explanation
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
disasternounUS /dɪˈzæstər/
a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
start firing a weapon
From this reading This stupor continued as he walked home, and sat silent by the fire.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
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 But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
destroyed or killed
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
groupsnounUS /ɡruːps/
plural of “group” — any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
half-choked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His powers were paralysed, and he could neither speak nor weep.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His powers were paralysed, and he could neither speak nor weep.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading This stupor continued as he walked home, and sat silent by the fire.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
lochnounUS /lɑːk/
a long narrow inlet of the sea in Scotland (especially when it is nearly landlocked)
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
muffledadjectiveUS /ˈmʌfəld/
being or made softer or less loud or clear
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading His powers were paralysed, and he could neither speak nor weep.
nightmarenounUS /ˈnaɪt.mɛr/
A terrifying or distressing dream.
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading His powers were paralysed, and he could neither speak nor weep.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
paralysed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His powers were paralysed, and he could neither speak nor weep.
plural of “power” — possession of controlling influence
From this reading His powers were paralysed, and he could neither speak nor weep.
prayingverbUS /ˈpreɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “pray” — address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
restoreverbUS /rɪˈstɔːr/
return to its original or usable and functioning condition
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading This stupor continued as he walked home, and sat silent by the fire.
cut with a saw
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading This stupor continued as he walked home, and sat silent by the fire.
sobbingnounUS /ˈsɑːbɪŋ/
convulsive gasp made while weeping
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
express in speech
From this reading His powers were paralysed, and he could neither speak nor weep.
stunnedadjectiveUS /stʌnd/
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
stupornounUS /ˈstuːpər/
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading This stupor continued as he walked home, and sat silent by the fire.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading This stupor continued as he walked home, and sat silent by the fire.
weepverbUS /wiːp/
shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain
From this reading His powers were paralysed, and he could neither speak nor weep.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His powers were paralysed, and he could neither speak nor weep.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading He saw the loch, the excited groups on the shore, and the muffled figure, lying on the barn door, disappearing in the distance; but the whole scene appeared to be a terrible nightmare.
Willie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This terrible disaster fell upon Willie like a blow, and stunned him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But after he had gone to bed, his mother heard him sobbing, and, in a voice half-choked with tears, praying that God would restore to life his lost friend.
