used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
ArrivesverbUS /ərˈaɪvz/
third-person singular of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading He listened with suspended breath.
treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
composurenounUS /kəmˈpoʊʒər/
steadiness of mind under stress
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
conceivedverbUS /kənˈsiːvd/
past form of “conceive” — have the idea for
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
concludingadjectiveUS /kənˈkluːdɪŋ/
occurring at or forming an end or termination
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
morally objectionable behavior
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
start firing a weapon
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
set up or found
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
a young female
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading He listened with suspended breath.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
not any; not one
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
and nothing more
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
compacted by ironing
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
regainedverbUS /riˈɡeɪnd/
past form of “regain” — get or find back; recover the use of
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
rigidlyadverbUS /ˈrɪdʒɪdli/
in a rigid manner
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
not in physical motion
From this reading The fire had burned low and the girl still slept in the shadows, her cheeks pressed against her hands.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
suspendedadjectiveUS /səˈspendɪd/
(of undissolved particles in a fluid) supported or kept from sinking or falling by buoyancy and without apparent attachment
From this reading He listened with suspended breath.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
in or at that place or location
From this reading For a moment there was no other sound and so he regained his composure, concluding it had been only an evil dream.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
uprightadjectiveUS /əˈpraɪt/
in a vertical position; not sloping
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
wheelsnounUS /wiːlz/
plural of “wheel” — a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
at the time that
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He found himself sitting rigidly upright in the room which had grown chill, staring at the dark doorway.
WilsonnounUS /ˈwɪlsən/
author of the first novel by an African American that was published in the United States (1808-1870)
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He listened with suspended breath.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading _A Stranger Arrives_ It was almost two in the morning when Wilson heard the sound of wheels in the street without, and conceived the fear that they had stopped before the house.
