used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An atmosphere of tears and ominous foreboding hung pall-like over the city's social life.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading An atmosphere of tears and ominous foreboding hung pall-like over the city's social life.
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 black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
CarriagesnounUS /ˈkærɪdʒɪz/
plural of “carriage” — a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
city'snounUS /ˈsɪtiz/
possessive form of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading An atmosphere of tears and ominous foreboding hung pall-like over the city's social life.
coachmannounUS /ˈkoʊtʃmən/
a man who drives a coach (or carriage)
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
communicatedverbUS /kəˈmjuːnəkeɪtɪd/
past form of “communicate” — transmit information
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
CongressnounUS /ˈkɑːŋɡrəs/
the legislature of the United States government
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
having gaps or spaces
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
plural of “daughter” — a female human offspring
From this reading Each step in the departure of wives and daughters was a pang.
the act of departing
From this reading Each step in the departure of wives and daughters was a pang.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Each step in the departure of wives and daughters was a pang.
earthquakenounUS /ˈɜːrθkweɪk/
shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane or from volcanic activity
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
forebodingnounUS /fɔːrˈboʊdɪŋ/
a feeling of evil to come
From this reading An atmosphere of tears and ominous foreboding hung pall-like over the city's social life.
characteristic of or befitting a friend
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
gripnounUS /ɡrɪp/
the act of grasping
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
high-bred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading An atmosphere of tears and ominous foreboding hung pall-like over the city's social life.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading An atmosphere of tears and ominous foreboding hung pall-like over the city's social life.
easily agitated
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
ominousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːmənəs/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading An atmosphere of tears and ominous foreboding hung pall-like over the city's social life.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading An atmosphere of tears and ominous foreboding hung pall-like over the city's social life.
pall-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An atmosphere of tears and ominous foreboding hung pall-like over the city's social life.
pangnounUS /pæŋ/
a sudden sharp feeling
From this reading Each step in the departure of wives and daughters was a pang.
past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
reinsnounUS /reɪnz/
plural of “rein” — one of a pair of long straps (usually connected to the bit or the headpiece) used to control a horse
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
RepresentativesnounUS /ˌreprəˈzentətɪvz/
plural of “representative” — a person who represents others
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
SenatorsnounUS /ˈsenətərz/
plural of “senator” — a member of a senate
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
sleekadjectiveUS /sliːk/
well-groomed and neatly tailored; especially too well-groomed
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Each step in the departure of wives and daughters was a pang.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading An atmosphere of tears and ominous foreboding hung pall-like over the city's social life.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The black coachman on the box held his reins with a nervous grip that communicated itself to the horses.
upheavalnounUS /əpˈhiːvəl/
a state of violent disturbance and disorder (as in politics or social conditions generally)
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
a message informing of danger
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Each step in the departure of wives and daughters was a pang.
the capital of the United States in the District of Columbia and a tourist mecca; George Washington commissioned Charles L'Enfant to lay out the city in 1791
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Carriages drawn by sleek, high-bred horses dashed through the broad streets with excited haste.
withdrawalnounUS /wɪðˈdrɔːəl/
a retraction of a previously held position
From this reading A FRIENDLY WARNING The withdrawal of the Southern Senators and Representatives from Congress produced in Washington the upheaval of a social earthquake.
plural of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Each step in the departure of wives and daughters was a pang.
