used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He walked aimlessly about the room in a curious apathy.
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
aimlesslyadverbUS /ˈeɪmləsli/
without aim; in an aimless manner
From this reading He walked aimlessly about the room in a curious apathy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
apathynounUS /ˈæpəθi/
an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
From this reading He walked aimlessly about the room in a curious apathy.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He paused before them and looked dully from one to the other.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
chasmnounUS /ˈkæzəm/
a deep opening in the earth's surface
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading On the wall facing the fireplace were two companion water-colour portraits in old-fashioned oval frames.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading He walked aimlessly about the room in a curious apathy.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
the act of departing
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
dullyadverb
without liveliness
From this reading He paused before them and looked dully from one to the other.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
facingnounUS /ˈfeɪsɪŋ/
a lining applied to the edge of a garment for ornamentation or strengthening
From this reading On the wall facing the fireplace were two companion water-colour portraits in old-fashioned oval frames.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
fireplacenounUS /ˈfaɪərpleɪs/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading On the wall facing the fireplace were two companion water-colour portraits in old-fashioned oval frames.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
framesnounUS /freɪmz/
plural of “frame” — the framework for a pair of eyeglasses
From this reading On the wall facing the fireplace were two companion water-colour portraits in old-fashioned oval frames.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He walked aimlessly about the room in a curious apathy.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He walked aimlessly about the room in a curious apathy.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He paused before them and looked dully from one to the other.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
maintainedadjectiveUS /meɪnˈteɪnd/
kept in good condition
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
and nothing more
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading On the wall facing the fireplace were two companion water-colour portraits in old-fashioned oval frames.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
organicadjectiveUS /ɔːrˈɡænɪk/
relating or belonging to the class of chemical compounds having a carbon basis
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
ovalnounUS /ˈoʊvəl/
a closed plane curve resulting from the intersection of a circular cone and a plane cutting completely through it
From this reading On the wall facing the fireplace were two companion water-colour portraits in old-fashioned oval frames.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading He paused before them and looked dully from one to the other.
pluckedadjectiveUS /plʌkt/
of a stringed instrument; sounded with the fingers or a plectrum
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
portraitsnounUS /ˈpɔːrtrəts/
plural of “portrait” — a word picture of a person's appearance and character
From this reading On the wall facing the fireplace were two companion water-colour portraits in old-fashioned oval frames.
reflexnounUS /ˈriːfleks/
an automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulus
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
representedadjectiveUS /ˌreprɪˈzentɪd/
represented accurately or precisely
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
reverenceverbUS /ˈrevərəns/
regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He walked aimlessly about the room in a curious apathy.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
your consciousness of your own identity
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
Sylvester
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He paused before them and looked dully from one to the other.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
Usher's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
vitaladjectiveUS /ˈvaɪtəl/
urgently needed; absolutely necessary
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading He walked aimlessly about the room in a curious apathy.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading On the wall facing the fireplace were two companion water-colour portraits in old-fashioned oval frames.
water-colournoun
water-soluble pigment
From this reading On the wall facing the fireplace were two companion water-colour portraits in old-fashioned oval frames.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading On the wall facing the fireplace were two companion water-colour portraits in old-fashioned oval frames.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading That which had been vital to him, his love and reverence for those two,--father and mother,--had been plucked away from him, and it seemed merely some reflex action that maintained organic existence.
but in spite of that
From this reading But a few minutes had passed since Usher's departure; yet to Sylvester they represented a great chasm of time,--a living self on the one side, a dead self on the other.
