used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
aloofadjectiveUS /əˈluːf/
remote in manner
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading A white vapour lay lightly as forgetfulness over river and bank and boathouse.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
blownadjectiveUS /bloʊn/
being moved or acted upon by moving air or vapor
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
boathousenounUS /ˈboʊtˈhaʊs/
a shed at the edge of a river or lake; used to store boats
From this reading A white vapour lay lightly as forgetfulness over river and bank and boathouse.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
forgetfulnessnoun
tendency to forget
From this reading A white vapour lay lightly as forgetfulness over river and bank and boathouse.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
impelledadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpeld/
urged or forced to action through moral pressure
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
intentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtentli/
with strained or eager attention
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
intrudernounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːdər/
someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
lappingnounUS /ˈlæpɪŋ/
covering with a design in which one element covers a part of another (as with tiles or shingles)
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A white vapour lay lightly as forgetfulness over river and bank and boathouse.
leantverbUS /ˈliːənt/
inflected form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
go away from a place
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
without good reason
From this reading A white vapour lay lightly as forgetfulness over river and bank and boathouse.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
mastsnounUS /mæsts/
plural of “mast” — a vertical spar for supporting sails
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
not any; not one
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading A white vapour lay lightly as forgetfulness over river and bank and boathouse.
disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading A white vapour lay lightly as forgetfulness over river and bank and boathouse.
ropesnounUS /roʊps/
plural of “rope” — a strong line
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
scrambleverbUS /ˈskræmbəl/
to move hurriedly
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
sketchedverbUS /sketʃt/
past form of “sketch” — make a sketch of
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
tanglenounUS /ˈtæŋɡəl/
a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
tousledadjective
in disarray; extremely disorderly
From this reading On the opposite shore, a tangle of masts and ropes lay sketched like a dream upon a blown and tousled sky.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
vapournoun
a visible suspension in the air of particles of some substance
From this reading A white vapour lay lightly as forgetfulness over river and bank and boathouse.
precisely as stated
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She had no idea of the time, but it must have been very early morning; the breeze was chill and aloof that struck upon her throat, as she leant out, an intruder upon silence.
clean by virtue of having been washed in water
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
a Caucasian
From this reading A white vapour lay lightly as forgetfulness over river and bank and boathouse.
window-seat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading THE WORLD WASHED CLEAN Peter awoke, and, listening intently, heard nothing beyond a faint lapping of water.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet she felt impelled to leave her bed and scramble up to the high narrow window-seat.
