used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
accidentsnounUS /ˈæksədənts/
plural of “accident” — an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading He listened; all was silent.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
deliriumnounUS /dɪˈlɪriəm/
state of violent mental agitation
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
fabricnounUS /ˈfæbrɪk/
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He listened; all was silent.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading He listened; all was silent.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading Who that human being was, what he wished, what he was willing to venture was a mystery.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading He listened; all was silent.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
sixthadjectiveUS /sɪksθ/
coming next after the fifth and just before the seventh in position
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
a person, without saying who
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
stranger'snounUS /ˈstreɪndʒərz/
possessive form of “stranger” — anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Who that human being was, what he wished, what he was willing to venture was a mystery.
uncomfortableadjectiveUS /ənˈkʌmfərtəbəl/
conducive to or feeling mental discomfort
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome
From this reading Who that human being was, what he wished, what he was willing to venture was a mystery.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He listened; all was silent.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Who that human being was, what he wished, what he was willing to venture was a mystery.
which person or people
From this reading Who that human being was, what he wished, what he was willing to venture was a mystery.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
disposed or inclined toward
From this reading Who that human being was, what he wished, what he was willing to venture was a mystery.
WilsonnounUS /ˈwɪlsən/
author of the first novel by an African American that was published in the United States (1808-1870)
From this reading _In the Dark_ Wilson made his way into the hall and peered down the dark stairs.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading Who that human being was, what he wished, what he was willing to venture was a mystery.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading Neither seeing nor hearing, he knew by some sixth sense that another human being stood within a few yards of him waiting.
but in spite of that
From this reading A dozen perfectly simple accidents might have caused the sound the three had heard; and yet, although he had not made up his mind that the stranger's whole story was not the fabric of delirium, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone really was below.
