used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Had any been abroad to see us we had seemed a curious company.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
to or in a foreign country
From this reading Had any been abroad to see us we had seemed a curious company.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Had any been abroad to see us we had seemed a curious company.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
bandsnounUS /bændz/
plural of “band” — an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Had any been abroad to see us we had seemed a curious company.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
blowsed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
a woman who has recently been married
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
butterflyverbUS /ˈbʌtərflaɪ/
flutter like a butterfly
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
buxomadjectiveUS /ˈbʌksəm/
(of a woman's body) having a large bosom and pleasing curves
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
cherrynounUS /ˈtʃeri/
wood of any of various cherry trees especially the black cherry
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading Had any been abroad to see us we had seemed a curious company.
continuallyadverbUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəli/
seemingly without interruption
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
curatenounUS /ˈkjʊrət/
a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading Had any been abroad to see us we had seemed a curious company.
daintyadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪnti/
delicately beautiful
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
drippingnounUS /ˈdrɪpɪŋ/
a liquid (as water) that flows in drops (as from the eaves of house)
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
the organ of sight
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
flower's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
greyingverbUS /ˈɡreɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “grey” — make grey
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had any been abroad to see us we had seemed a curious company.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
hulknounUS /hʌlk/
a very large person; impressive in size or qualities
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
Kirkchrist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
ludicrousadjectiveUS /ˈluːdəkrəs/
broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
mansenoun
a large and imposing house
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
mirthnounUS /mɜːrθ/
great merriment
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
nightcapnoun
an alcoholic drink taken at bedtime; often alcoholic
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
nightgear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
not one, and not any
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
and nothing more
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
peakedadjectiveUS /piːkt/
somewhat ill or prone to illness
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
peepingverbUS /ˈpiːpɪŋ/
-ing form of “peep” — look furtively
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
poiseverbUS /pɔɪz/
be motionless, in suspension
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
quean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
Rachel'snounUS /ˈreɪtʃəlz/
possessive form of “rachel” — (Old Testament) the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
precisely, exactly
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
ruddyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌdi/
inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Had any been abroad to see us we had seemed a curious company.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Had any been abroad to see us we had seemed a curious company.
shamblingnoun
walking with a slow dragging motion without lifting your feet
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
slingverbUS /slɪŋ/
hurl as if with a sling
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
tasselnounUS /ˈtæsəl/
adornment consisting of a bunch of cords fastened at one end
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Had any been abroad to see us we had seemed a curious company.
toweringadjectiveUS /ˈtaʊərɪŋ/
of imposing height; especially standing out above others
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Had any been abroad to see us we had seemed a curious company.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "It was about four of the clock, and the east little more than greying, as we four stood in front of the manse of Kirkchrist.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
a Caucasian
From this reading The curate in his white gown and black bands, his shambling nightgear peeping out above and under—a red peaked nightcap on his head, the tassel of which nodded continually over his right eye in a most ludicrous manner (only that none thought of mirth that night).
in the company of; together with
From this reading Beside him, a dripping candle in her hand, stood his sister, a buxom quean, blowsed with health and ruddy as the cherry.
the words that are spoken
From this reading "Before these two I stood, ’a black towering hulk with one arm in a sling’ (Rachel’s words), and beside me, my sweet bride, dainty and light as a butterfly at poise on a flower’s lip.
