absurdlyadverbUS /əbˈsɜːrdli/
in an absurd manner or to an absurd degree
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
attackedverbUS /əˈtækt/
past form of “attack” — launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
boardsnounUS /bɔːrdz/
(used in the plural) the stage of a theater
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
rid of obstructions
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
closetnounUS /ˈklɑːzət/
a small room (or recess) or cabinet used for storage space
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
clutteredadjectiveUS /ˈklʌtərd/
filled or scattered with a disorderly accumulation of objects or rubbish
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
commonplaceadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/
completely ordinary and unremarkable
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
Delia's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
the act of departing
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
exploredverbUS /ɪkˈsplɔːrd/
past form of “explore” — inquire into
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
gardeningnounUS /ˈɡɑːrdənɪŋ/
the cultivation of plants
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
hingesnounUS /ˈhɪndʒɪz/
plural of “hinge” — a joint that holds two parts together so that one can swing relative to the other
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
an opening into or through something
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
free from evil or guilt
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
in the recent past
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
set afire or burning
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
for more time
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
nightmaresnounUS /ˈnaɪtmerz/
plural of “nightmare” — a situation resembling a terrifying dream
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
not any; not one
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
oddsnounUS /ɑːdz/
the likelihood of a thing occurring rather than not occurring
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
oiledadjectiveUS /ɔɪld/
treated with oil
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
on one occasion
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
peeringverbUS /ˈpiːrɪŋ/
-ing form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
shuttingnounUS /ˈʃʌtɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
an ability that has been acquired by training
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
the state of being asleep
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
be standing; be upright
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading |I LIGHTED my candle and stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind me.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
toolsnounUS /tuːlz/
plural of “tool” — an implement used in the practice of a vocation
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The small space, no longer cluttered by old odds and ends of gardening tools, was clear to my eyes in every corner, and presented so commonplace an appearance that I was almost ready to believe that nightmares had possessed me lately, and that an especially vivid one had brought me to stand absurdly here in the sleeping house peering at an innocent board wall.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
at the time that
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Before me opened the black hole into which I had fallen the morning when Mary and I had explored the kitchen after Delia's departure.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading They moved at once as though they were on oiled hinges, and the whole low side of the closet came forward in my hands.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Nevertheless, I set down my candle on the floor and attacked the boards put up by Henry with what skill and energy I could.
