used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading I could not by any means interrupt the unending labour, although it had long been disgusting to me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading I could not by any means interrupt the unending labour, although it had long been disgusting to me.
move towards
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
blanketsnounUS /ˈblæŋkəts/
plural of “blanket” — bedding that keeps a person warm in bed
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
blazingadjectiveUS /ˈbleɪzɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
boxesnounUS /ˈbɑːksəz/
plural of “box” — a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
century-long
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
chaosnounUS /ˈkeɪɑːs/
a state of extreme confusion and disorder
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
clutchedverbUS /klʌtʃt/
past form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
colouredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌlərd/
having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I could not by any means interrupt the unending labour, although it had long been disgusting to me.
true confidential information
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
diseasenounUS /dɪˈziːz/
an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
disgustingadjectiveUS /dɪsˈɡʌstɪŋ/
highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
From this reading I could not by any means interrupt the unending labour, although it had long been disgusting to me.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
drowsyadjectiveUS /ˈdraʊzi/
half asleep
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
fantasticadjectiveUS /fænˈtæstɪk/
ludicrously odd
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
grotesqueadjectiveUS /ɡroʊˈtesk/
distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
only a very short time before
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
inflamedadjectiveUS /ɪnˈfleɪmd/
resulting from inflammation; hot and swollen and reddened
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
interruptverbUS /ˌɪntərˈʌpt/
make a break in
From this reading I could not by any means interrupt the unending labour, although it had long been disgusting to me.
intolerableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɑːlərəbəl/
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I could not by any means interrupt the unending labour, although it had long been disgusting to me.
a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading I could not by any means interrupt the unending labour, although it had long been disgusting to me.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
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 I could not by any means interrupt the unending labour, although it had long been disgusting to me.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading I could not by any means interrupt the unending labour, although it had long been disgusting to me.
microscopicadjectiveUS /ˌmaɪkrəˈskɑːpɪk/
of or relating to or used in microscopy
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
motleynounUS /ˈmɑːtli/
a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I could not by any means interrupt the unending labour, although it had long been disgusting to me.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
overwhelmedverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmd/
past form of “overwhelm” — overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
painfullyadverbUS /ˈpeɪnfəli/
unpleasantly
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
piledverbUS /paɪld/
past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
participate in games or sport
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
slumbernounUS /ˈslʌmbər/
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
small or little relative to something else
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
not in physical motion
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
stripesnounUS /straɪps/
V-shaped sleeve badge indicating military rank and service
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
very small
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
having come into contact
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
unendingadjectiveUS /əˈnendɪŋ/
continuing forever or indefinitely
From this reading I could not by any means interrupt the unending labour, although it had long been disgusting to me.
unpackingverbUS /ənˈpækɪŋ/
-ing form of “unpack” — remove from its packing
From this reading Now I seemed to be unpacking some boxes, coloured with stripes and of fantastic form, taking small ones out of the big, and from the small still smaller.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
under normal conditions
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
at the time that
From this reading Hardly had I been touched by a drowsy slumber, when strange, grotesque, painfully motley dreams began to play with my inflamed brain.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Every dream was filled with tiny microscopic details, which piled up and clutched each at the other in ugly chaos.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In the evening, and usually at about seven o’clock, the approach of the disease overwhelmed me like a storm, and on my bed I passed a terrible, century-long night, now shaking with cold beneath the blankets, now blazing with intolerable heat.
