used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It takes two to quarrel, and Steel imperturbably refused to make one.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
breachverbUS /briːtʃ/
act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading There was thus no outward change, for neither was there any outward rupture.
chasmnounUS /ˈkæzəm/
a deep opening in the earth's surface
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
contactnounUS /ˈkɑːntækt/
close interaction
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
the quality of being unlike or dissimilar
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
discernedverbUS /dɪˈsɜːrnd/
past form of “discern” — detect with the senses
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
ENCOUNTERverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntər/
come together
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
the organ of sight
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There was thus no outward change, for neither was there any outward rupture.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
imperturbably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It takes two to quarrel, and Steel imperturbably refused to make one.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
engage in
From this reading It takes two to quarrel, and Steel imperturbably refused to make one.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
nakedadjectiveUS /ˈneɪkəd/
completely unclothed
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading There was thus no outward change, for neither was there any outward rupture.
not any; not one
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
the act of making and recording a measurement
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It takes two to quarrel, and Steel imperturbably refused to make one.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
outwardadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtwərd/
relating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind
From this reading There was thus no outward change, for neither was there any outward rupture.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
a human being
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
an angry dispute
From this reading It takes two to quarrel, and Steel imperturbably refused to make one.
RachelnounUS /ˈreɪtʃəl/
(Old Testament) the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
past form of “refuse” — show unwillingness towards
From this reading It takes two to quarrel, and Steel imperturbably refused to make one.
mutual dealings or connections or communications among persons or groups
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
ruptureverbUS /ˈrʌptʃər/
separate or cause to separate abruptly
From this reading There was thus no outward change, for neither was there any outward rupture.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
being or feeling set or kept apart from others
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
snappingverbUS /ˈsnæpɪŋ/
inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading It takes two to quarrel, and Steel imperturbably refused to make one.
SteelsnounUS /stiːlz/
plural of “steel” — an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
plural of “take” — the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
From this reading It takes two to quarrel, and Steel imperturbably refused to make one.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
in or at that place or location
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
threadsnounUS /θredz/
informal terms for clothing
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading There was thus no outward change, for neither was there any outward rupture.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It takes two to quarrel, and Steel imperturbably refused to make one.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a mere snapping of the threads across the chasm which had always separated Rachel from her second husband.
which person or people
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The chasm had been plain enough to those who came much in contact with the pair, but the little threads of sympathy were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary observation.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading A CHANCE ENCOUNTER There was now an open breach between the Steels, but no third person would have discerned any difference in their relations.
