used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
anew
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
alteredadjectiveUS /ˈɔːltərd/
changed in form or character without becoming something else
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/
feeling or showing anger
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Even the angry chair seemed to be getting drowsy as well, and was silent at times for as much as a minute.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
terminate
From this reading At the end of the minute it would break out again into a raucous yelp, like the spasmodic effort of a tired dog.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
continuousadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəs/
continuing in time or space without interruption
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading At the end of the minute it would break out again into a raucous yelp, like the spasmodic effort of a tired dog.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
drowsyadjectiveUS /ˈdraʊzi/
half asleep
From this reading Even the angry chair seemed to be getting drowsy as well, and was silent at times for as much as a minute.
dwindlingadjectiveUS /ˈdwɪndəlɪŋ/
gradually decreasing until little remains
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading At the end of the minute it would break out again into a raucous yelp, like the spasmodic effort of a tired dog.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading At the end of the minute it would break out again into a raucous yelp, like the spasmodic effort of a tired dog.
divisible by two
From this reading Even the angry chair seemed to be getting drowsy as well, and was silent at times for as much as a minute.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Even the angry chair seemed to be getting drowsy as well, and was silent at times for as much as a minute.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading Even the angry chair seemed to be getting drowsy as well, and was silent at times for as much as a minute.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
an instinctive motive
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading Even the angry chair seemed to be getting drowsy as well, and was silent at times for as much as a minute.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Even the angry chair seemed to be getting drowsy as well, and was silent at times for as much as a minute.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
and nothing more
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
protestnounUS /ˈproʊtest/
a formal and solemn declaration of objection
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
pushverbUS /pʊʃ/
move with force
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
raucousadjectiveUS /ˈrɔːkəs/
unpleasantly loud and harsh
From this reading At the end of the minute it would break out again into a raucous yelp, like the spasmodic effort of a tired dog.
rhythmicadjectiveUS /ˈrɪðmɪk/
recurring with measured regularity
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
rockernounUS /ˈrɑːkər/
an attendant who rocks a child in a cradle
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
rockingverbUS /ˈrɑːkɪŋ/
-ing form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Even the angry chair seemed to be getting drowsy as well, and was silent at times for as much as a minute.
sleepyadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpi/
ready to fall asleep
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
slumbernounUS /ˈslʌmbər/
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
soothingadjectiveUS /ˈsuːðɪŋ/
affording physical relief
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
spasmodicadjectiveUS /spæzˈmɔːdɪk/
affected by involuntary jerky muscular contractions; resembling a spasm
From this reading At the end of the minute it would break out again into a raucous yelp, like the spasmodic effort of a tired dog.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
surgeverbUS /sɜːrdʒ/
rise and move, as in waves or billows
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
swellverbUS /swel/
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
swingverbUS /swɪŋ/
move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading At the end of the minute it would break out again into a raucous yelp, like the spasmodic effort of a tired dog.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The rocking had begun again, the slow, rhythmic rocking that seemed to draw the past out like a charm, in spite of the continuous protest of the angry chair.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
past form of “urge” — force or impel in an indicated direction
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was as soothing as the sleepy surge of a summer sea, urged by some impulse into a gentle swell, only to smooth itself out into stillness and slumber again.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Even the angry chair seemed to be getting drowsy as well, and was silent at times for as much as a minute.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It altered in character, however, after a while, the swing of the rocker dwindling at times until it almost stopped, and then beginning again with a gentle push.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading At the end of the minute it would break out again into a raucous yelp, like the spasmodic effort of a tired dog.
yelpnounUS /jelp/
a sharp high-pitched cry (especially by a dog)
From this reading At the end of the minute it would break out again into a raucous yelp, like the spasmodic effort of a tired dog.
