used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The tremendous knocking still went on above the noise of the wind.
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Dido had gone to the door of the room and was barking to get out.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
barkingverbUS /ˈbɑːrkɪŋ/
-ing form of “bark” — speak in an unfriendly tone
From this reading Dido had gone to the door of the room and was barking to get out.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
clungverbUS /klʌŋ/
inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
death-coach
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
DidonounUS /ˈdaɪdoʊ/
(Roman mythology) a princess of Tyre who was the founder and queen of Carthage; Virgil tells of her suicide when she was abandoned by Aeneas
From this reading Dido had gone to the door of the room and was barking to get out.
distraughtadjectiveUS /dɪˈstrɔːt/
deeply agitated especially from emotion
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading She was running up and down in a frenzy of impatience.
at any time
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
frenzynounUS /ˈfrenzi/
state of violent mental agitation
From this reading She was running up and down in a frenzy of impatience.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Dido had gone to the door of the room and was barking to get out.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Dido had gone to the door of the room and was barking to get out.
the father of your father or mother
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
grandmothernounUS /ˈɡrændmʌðər/
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Dido had gone to the door of the room and was barking to get out.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
a lack of patience; irritation with anything that causes delay
From this reading She was running up and down in a frenzy of impatience.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was running up and down in a frenzy of impatience.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
knockingnounUS /ˈnɑːkɪŋ/
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
From this reading The tremendous knocking still went on above the noise of the wind.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
engage in
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
a person who carries a message
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading The tremendous knocking still went on above the noise of the wind.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Dido had gone to the door of the room and was barking to get out.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The tremendous knocking still went on above the noise of the wind.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Dido had gone to the door of the room and was barking to get out.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Dido had gone to the door of the room and was barking to get out.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading She was running up and down in a frenzy of impatience.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was running up and down in a frenzy of impatience.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
not in physical motion
From this reading The tremendous knocking still went on above the noise of the wind.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
in the direction of
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
tremendousadjectiveUS /trəˈmendəs/
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading The tremendous knocking still went on above the noise of the wind.
hard to endure
From this reading "It is absurd," I cried, trying to make my grandmother hear; "did any one ever know the death-coach to come knocking at the door?"
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She was running up and down in a frenzy of impatience.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Dido had gone to the door of the room and was barking to get out.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The tremendous knocking still went on above the noise of the wind.
which person or people
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The tremendous knocking still went on above the noise of the wind.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading THE MESSENGER My grandfather made a step or two towards the door, but my grandmother, who seemed distraught with terror, would not let him go, but clung to him the closer.
