used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
arknounUS /ɑːrk/
(Judaism) sacred chest where the ancient Hebrews kept the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
ball-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
permission to do something
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
past form of “dance” — move in a graceful and rhythmical way
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
emanating from God
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
dwellersnounUS /ˈdwelərz/
plural of “dweller” — a person who inhabits a particular place
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/
an abstract part of something
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
something acquired without compensation
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
glidingnounUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of flying a glider
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
goddessnounUS /ˈɡɑːdəs/
a female deity
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
harmonynounUS /ˈhɑːrməni/
compatibility in opinion and action
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
instrumentnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənt/
a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
lackedverbUS /lækt/
past form of “lack” — be without
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
liliesnounUS /ˈlɪliz/
plural of “lily” — any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy pendulous flowers
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
prolonged unfulfilled desire or need
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
engage in
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
in motion
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
musicallyadverbUS /ˈmjuːzɪkli/
in a musical manner
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
namelessadjectiveUS /ˈneɪm.ləs/
Having no name, or having a name that is kept secret or unknown.
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
neutraladjectiveUS /ˈnuːtrəl/
having no personal preference
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
nimbleadjectiveUS /ˈnɪmbəl/
moving quickly and lightly
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
plural of “party” — an organization to gain political power
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
passionatelyadverbUS /ˈpæʃənətli/
with passion
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
perfumenounUS /pərˈfjuːm/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
rhythmicallyadverbUS /ˈrɪðmɪkli/
in a rhythmic manner
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
rustlingnounUS /ˈrʌslɪŋ/
the stealing of cattle
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
swayedverbUS /sweɪd/
past form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
sweetnessnounUS /ˈswiːtnəs/
the taste experience when sugar dissolves in the mouth
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
swellverbUS /swel/
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
symphonynounUS /ˈsɪmfəni/
a long and complex sonata for symphony orchestra
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
threefoldadjectiveUS /ˈθriːfoʊld/
three times as great or many
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
throbbed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
trembleverbUS /ˈtrembəl/
move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
precisely as stated
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
violinsnounUS /vaɪəˈlɪnz/
plural of “violin” — bowed stringed instrument that is the highest member of the violin family; this instrument has four strings and a hollow body and an unfretted fingerboard and is played with a bow
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
waltznounUS /wɔːlts/
an assured victory (especially in an election)
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
wealnoun
a raised mark on the skin (as produced by the blow of a whip); characteristic of many allergic reactions
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Few people can really doubt what the step was that David danced before the ark.
in or at the place that
From this reading The ball was at a house where members of various parties met by common consent as on neutral ground.
whirledverbUS /wɜːrld/
past form of “whirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
woenounUS /woʊ/
misery resulting from affliction
From this reading In the passionately moving symphony of sound and sight and touch, the whole weal and woe and longing of life throbbed in a threefold pace.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The dwellers in an older world did well to call the dance divine, and to make it the gift of a nimble goddess; truly, without a waltz the world would have lacked a very divine element.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The soft thick air of the ball-room swayed rhythmically to the swell and fall of the violins; the perfume of roses and lilies was whirled into waves of sweetness, and the beating of many young hearts seemed to tremble musically through the nameless harmony of instrument and voice, and rustling silk, and gliding feet.
