Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

confidently declared to be so

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

a United States youth subculture of the 1950s; rejected possessions or regular work or traditional dress; for communal living and psychedelic drugs and anarchism; favored modern forms of jazz (e.g., bebop)

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

form a curve

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

mistake one thing for another

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

(of persons) so unrefined as to be lacking in discrimination and sensibility

From this reading Then in the outer spaces of her mind there grew, to save her, a sense of her crass fatuity.

having the physical appearance of death

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

a line leading to a place or point

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

one or the other of two

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

causing embarrassment

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

the quality of being outrageous

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

divisible by two

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

creating or arousing excitement

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

a ludicrous folly

From this reading Then in the outer spaces of her mind there grew, to save her, a sense of her crass fatuity.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

devoid of good sense or judgment

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

the act of departing

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

destroyed or killed

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Then in the outer spaces of her mind there grew, to save her, a sense of her crass fatuity.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

the act of pounding (delivering repeated heavy blows)

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

located inward

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

moving slowly and gently

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

having or covered with leaves

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

the act of hearing attentively

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Then in the outer spaces of her mind there grew, to save her, a sense of her crass fatuity.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

possessive form of “nancy” — a city in northeastern France in Lorraine

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

not any; not one

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

many times at short intervals

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

and nothing more

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

being on the outside or further from a center

From this reading Then in the outer spaces of her mind there grew, to save her, a sense of her crass fatuity.

inflected form of “overhear” — hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

easy to believe on the basis of available evidence

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

accomplished rapidly and without delay

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

a musical composition that has been completed or enriched by someone other than the composer

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

the trait of being uncommunicative; not volunteering anything more than necessary

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

except for; apart from

From this reading Then in the outer spaces of her mind there grew, to save her, a sense of her crass fatuity.

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

your consciousness of your own identity

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

a general conscious awareness

From this reading Then in the outer spaces of her mind there grew, to save her, a sense of her crass fatuity.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

with sincerity; without pretense

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

comparatives of “soon” or “early”

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

plural of “space” — the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading Then in the outer spaces of her mind there grew, to save her, a sense of her crass fatuity.

past form of “spell” — orally recite the letters of or give the spelling of

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

the season of growth

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

express in words

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

disclosing unintentionally something concealed

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Then in the outer spaces of her mind there grew, to save her, a sense of her crass fatuity.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

a special situation

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

create by training and teaching

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

up to a particular time

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

precisely as stated

From this reading At least such reticence to self is often sincerely and plausibly asserted by the very inner woman.

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

impaired by diminution

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

at the time that

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

plural of “whisper” — speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

which person or people

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree

From this reading When the exciting time of this listening had gone and she stepped from the train into the lazy spring silence of the village, her own heart spelled the thing in quick, loud, hammering beats--a thing which, now that she faced it, was so wildly impossible that her cheeks burned at the first second of actual realisation of its enormity; and her knees weakened in a deathly tremble, quite as if they might bend embarrassingly in either direction.

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading THE REASON OF A WOMAN WHO HAD NO REASON It was not a jest--Nancy's telling Aunt Bell that her reason for going to Edom was too foolish to give even to herself.

the words that are spoken

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet no sooner had her train started than her secret within a secret began to tell itself: at first in whispers, then low like a voice overheard through leafy trees; then loud and louder until all the noise of the train did no more than confuse the words so that only she could hear them.