used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
awakeningnounUS /əˈweɪkənɪŋ/
the act of waking
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
the lower side of anything
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
ChateaunounUS /ʃæˈtoʊ/
an impressive country house (or castle) in France
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
chimneynounUS /ˈtʃɪmni/
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
plural of “dog” — a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
dramanounUS /ˈdrɑːmə/
a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
feel or handle with the fingers
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
fortunatelyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrtʃənətli/
by good fortune
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
horridadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːrəd/
exceedingly bad
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
kneelingnounUS /ˈniːlɪŋ/
supporting yourself on your knees
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
held up in the air
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
and nothing more
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
with speed
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
reeledverbUS /riːld/
past form of “reel” — walk as if unable to control one's movements
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
ruffians
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
shakenadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪkən/
disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/
a state of social isolation
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
spectatornounUS /ˈspekteɪtər/
a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TRICOLOUR.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Had the ruffians come upon me then I could not have lifted a finger; but, fortunately, though the awakening came quickly, it came by another hand.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
a shaky motion
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
TRICOLOURnoun
a flag having three colored stripes (especially the French flag)
From this reading THE TRICOLOUR.
tumultnounUS /ˈtuːməlt/
a state of commotion and noise and confusion
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
viewedverbUS /vjuːd/
past form of “view” — deem to be
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was known afterwards that they fell upon the body and tore it, like the dogs they were; but I had seen enough.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The horrid drama had had only one spectator--myself; and the strange solitude from which I had viewed it, kneeling at the edge of the roof of the Chateau, with the night wind on my brow and the tumult far below me, had shaken me to the bottom of my soul.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading I reeled back, and for a few moments leaned against the chimney, trembling like a woman, sick and faint.
