used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
without stop or interruption
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
defeatingverbUS /dɪˈfiːtɪŋ/
-ing form of “defeat” — win a victory over
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
echoesnounUS /ˈekoʊz/
plural of “echo” — the repetition of a sound resulting from reflection of the sound waves
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
growledverbUS /ɡraʊld/
past form of “growl” — to utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds
From this reading "’Well?’ he growled ungraciously.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
hiltsnounUS /hɪlts/
plural of “hilt” — the handle of a sword or dagger
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
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 Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
muffledadjectiveUS /ˈmʌfəld/
being or made softer or less loud or clear
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
NicholasnounUS /ˈnɪkələs/
a bishop in Asia Minor who is associated with Santa Claus (4th century)
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
the hard durable wood of any oak; used especially for furniture and flooring
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
and nothing more
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
poundedverbUS /ˈpaʊndɪd/
past form of “pound” — hit hard with the hand, fist, or some heavy instrument
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
in the near future
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
ringingnounUS /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/
the sound of a bell ringing
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
cut with a saw
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
swordsnounUS /sɔːrdz/
plural of “sword” — a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
ungraciouslyadverb
without grace; rigidly
From this reading "’Well?’ he growled ungraciously.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
plural of “visitor” — someone who visits
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Presently the door swung back a little way, slowly and it seemed to me cautiously, and the ’Fox’ himself stood in the narrow opening, muffled to the eyes in his long black cloak.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
showing sorrow
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "’Well?’ he growled ungraciously.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "’The bell; the bell!’ cried Nicholas’ father with some anger, out of breath with hard riding, ’what means this curious ringing of the tower bell?’
at the time that
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
which person or people
From this reading When he saw who his visitors were, he was not pleased and made as if to shut the door in our faces, but we placed our shoulders against it, defeating his purpose.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "We pounded upon the heavy oak door with the hilts of our swords but only the echoes answered us; the weeping continued.
