used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There seemed to be a hush of expectancy in the air.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading There seemed to be a hush of expectancy in the air.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He stood with his back to the room and his face to the mountains.
Bassett
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
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 pine-trees of the compound stood black and silent.
compoundnounUS /ˈkɑːmpaʊnd/
a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts
From this reading The pine-trees of the compound stood black and silent.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
expectancynounUS /ɪkˈspektənsi/
an expectation
From this reading There seemed to be a hush of expectancy in the air.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He stood with his back to the room and his face to the mountains.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
past form of “guess” — expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He stood with his back to the room and his face to the mountains.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
become quiet or still; fall silent
From this reading There seemed to be a hush of expectancy in the air.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading He stood with his back to the room and his face to the mountains.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
ORDEALnounUS /ɔːrˈdiːl/
a severe or trying experience
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
pine-trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pine-trees of the compound stood black and silent.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He stood with his back to the room and his face to the mountains.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading There seemed to be a hush of expectancy in the air.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading The pine-trees of the compound stood black and silent.
in or at or to some place
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
having a supporting base
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The pine-trees of the compound stood black and silent.
StrainsnounUS /streɪnz/
plural of “strain” — (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There seemed to be a hush of expectancy in the air.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
waftedverbUS /ˈwɑːftɪd/
past form of “waft” — be driven or carried along, as by the air
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
at the time that
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading THE ORDEAL The drawing-room was empty when he entered it, the windows standing flung wide to the night.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He stood with his back to the room and his face to the mountains.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Strains of dance music were wafted in from somewhere lower down the hill, and he guessed that Lady Bassett would be from home.
