used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
annoyedadjectiveUS /əˈnɔɪd/
aroused to impatience or anger
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
ATTRACTIONnounUS /əˈtrækʃən/
the force by which one object attracts another
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
for the reason that
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
without doubt or question
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
constrainedadjectiveUS /kənˈstreɪnd/
lacking spontaneity; not natural
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
past form of “dare” — take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
divisible by two
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
devoid of good sense or judgment
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
set up or found
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
only a very short time before
From this reading In her own mind she was hardly more lucid than this, and the mystery of her heart was as inscrutable to herself as it was to Kemper.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading In her own mind she was hardly more lucid than this, and the mystery of her heart was as inscrutable to herself as it was to Kemper.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
imperativeadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈperətɪv/
requiring attention or action
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
an instinctive motive
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
inscrutableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈskruːtəbəl/
of an obscure nature
From this reading In her own mind she was hardly more lucid than this, and the mystery of her heart was as inscrutable to herself as it was to Kemper.
insincereadjectiveUS /ˌɪnsɪnˈsɪr/
lacking sincerity
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
Kemper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In her own mind she was hardly more lucid than this, and the mystery of her heart was as inscrutable to herself as it was to Kemper.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
Laura
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
lightenverbUS /ˈlaɪtən/
make more cheerful
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
for more time
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
lucidadjectiveUS /ˈluːsəd/
(of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
From this reading In her own mind she was hardly more lucid than this, and the mystery of her heart was as inscrutable to herself as it was to Kemper.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading In her own mind she was hardly more lucid than this, and the mystery of her heart was as inscrutable to herself as it was to Kemper.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading In her own mind she was hardly more lucid than this, and the mystery of her heart was as inscrutable to herself as it was to Kemper.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading In her own mind she was hardly more lucid than this, and the mystery of her heart was as inscrutable to herself as it was to Kemper.
not any; not one
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
obviousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbviəs/
easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
OPPOSITESnounUS /ˈɑːpəzəts/
plural of “opposite” — a word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
oppressiveadjectiveUS /əˈpresɪv/
weighing heavily on the senses or spirit
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
overwhelmedverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmd/
past form of “overwhelm” — overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading In her own mind she was hardly more lucid than this, and the mystery of her heart was as inscrutable to herself as it was to Kemper.
by chance
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
recurring again and again
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
cut with a saw
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
express in words
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
in the near future
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
express in speech
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In her own mind she was hardly more lucid than this, and the mystery of her heart was as inscrutable to herself as it was to Kemper.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
timiditynounUS /təˈmɪdəti/
fear of the unknown or unfamiliar or fear of making decisions
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
TREATSnounUS /triːts/
plural of “treat” — something considered choice to eat
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
TrentnounUS /trent/
a river in central England that flows generally northeastward to join with the Ouse River and form the Humber
From this reading TREATS OF THE ATTRACTION OF OPPOSITES As soon as Trent had left the room Laura felt that the silence became oppressive and constrained.
trivialadjectiveUS /ˈtrɪviəl/
(informal) small and of little importance
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
uncompromisinglyadverb
in an uncompromising manner
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
at the time that
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
in the company of; together with
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading For the first time in her life she found herself overwhelmed with timidity--with a fear of the too obvious word--and this timidity annoyed her because she was aware that she no longer possessed the strength with which to struggle against it.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Had she dared to follow her usual impulse and be uncompromisingly honest, she would have said, perhaps: "I am silent because I am afraid to speak and yet I do not know why I am afraid, nor what it is that I fear."
but in spite of that
From this reading That it was imperative for her to lighten the situation by a trivial remark, she saw clearly, yet she could think of nothing to say which did not sound foolish and even insincere when she repeated it in her thoughts.
