used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The old lay-sister seized her wallet and pulled out the bag of peas.
AntonynounUS /ˈæntəni/
Roman general under Julius Caesar in the Gallic wars; repudiated his wife for the Egyptian queen Cleopatra; they were defeated by Octavian at Actium (83-30 BC)
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Below, the heavy door swung back upon its hinges.
a flexible container with a single opening
From this reading The old lay-sister seized her wallet and pulled out the bag of peas.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
BelowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading Below, the heavy door swung back upon its hinges.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
flagstonesnounUS /ˈflæɡstoʊnz/
plural of “flagstone” — stratified stone that splits into pieces suitable as paving stones
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Below, the heavy door swung back upon its hinges.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The old lay-sister seized her wallet and pulled out the bag of peas.
not accessible to view
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
hingesnounUS /ˈhɪndʒɪz/
plural of “hinge” — a joint that holds two parts together so that one can swing relative to the other
From this reading Below, the heavy door swung back upon its hinges.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Below, the heavy door swung back upon its hinges.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
lay-sister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old lay-sister seized her wallet and pulled out the bag of peas.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
fasten with a lock
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
lowlyadjectiveUS /ˈloʊli/
low or inferior in station or quality
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
measuredadjectiveUS /ˈmeʒərd/
having notes of fixed rhythmic value
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
mile-long
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
attach to a support
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
in motion
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
mumblingnounUS /ˈmʌmbəlɪŋ/
indistinct enunciation
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
oakenadjective
consisting of or made of wood of the oak tree
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The old lay-sister seized her wallet and pulled out the bag of peas.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The old lay-sister seized her wallet and pulled out the bag of peas.
PASSESnounUS /ˈpæsəz/
plural of “pass” — (baseball) an advance to first base by a batter who receives four balls
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
peasnounUS /piːz/
plural of “pea” — seed of a pea plant used for food
From this reading The old lay-sister seized her wallet and pulled out the bag of peas.
PRIORESSnoun
the superior of a group of nuns
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
PsalternounUS /ˈsɔːltər/
a collection of Psalms for liturgical use
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading The old lay-sister seized her wallet and pulled out the bag of peas.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
reverenceverbUS /ˈrevərəns/
regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
scapularynoun
garment consisting of a long wide piece of woolen cloth worn over the shoulders with an opening for the head; part of a monastic habit
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
past form of “seize” — take hold of; grab
From this reading The old lay-sister seized her wallet and pulled out the bag of peas.
sentencesnounUS /ˈsentənsəz/
plural of “sentence” — a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
shufflingnounUS /ˈʃʌflɪŋ/
walking with a slow dragging motion without lifting your feet
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
with low volume
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
sunlitadjectiveUS /ˈsʌnlɪt/
lighted by sunlight
From this reading Mary Antony dropped upon her knees to the right of the steps, her hands hidden beneath her scapulary, her eyes bent in lowly reverence upon the sunlit flagstones, her lips mumbling chance sentences from the Psalter.
the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading Below, the heavy door swung back upon its hinges.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
undergroundadjectiveUS /ˈʌndərɡraʊnd/
under the level of the ground
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The measured sound of softly moving feet drew near, slightly shuffling as they reached the steps and began to mount, up from the mile-long darkness, into the sunset light.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Below, the heavy door swung back upon its hinges.
walletnounUS /ˈwɔːlət/
a pocket-size case for holding papers and paper money
From this reading The old lay-sister seized her wallet and pulled out the bag of peas.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading THE PRIORESS PASSES A key turned slowly in the lock of the oaken door at the entrance to the underground way.
