used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Every window was a patch of vivid orange in the darkness of the walls.
activitynounUS /ækˈtɪvəti/
any specific behavior
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
blazedverbUS /bleɪzd/
past form of “blaze” — shine brightly and intensively
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
Byars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
classroomsnounUS /ˈklæsruːmz/
plural of “classroom” — a room in a school where lessons take place
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Every window was a patch of vivid orange in the darkness of the walls.
down-stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every window was a patch of vivid orange in the darkness of the walls.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
HelenanounUS /ˈhelənə/
capital of the state of Montana; located in western Montana
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
humverbUS /hʌm/
sing with closed lips
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Every window was a patch of vivid orange in the darkness of the walls.
incredibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkredəbəl/
beyond belief or understanding
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
immediately past
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
the sound of laughing
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
a white nutritious liquid secreted by mammals and used as food by human beings
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
of or relating to or belonging to a nation or country
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
orangenounUS /ˈɔːrəndʒ/
round yellow to orange fruit of any of several citrus trees
From this reading Every window was a patch of vivid orange in the darkness of the walls.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
parishnounUS /ˈpærɪʃ/
a local church community
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
patchnounUS /pætʃ/
a small contrasting part of something
From this reading Every window was a patch of vivid orange in the darkness of the walls.
pervadedverbUS /pərˈveɪdɪd/
past form of “pervade” — spread or diffuse through
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
platesnounUS /pleɪts/
plural of “plate” — (baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
presidedverbUS /prɪˈzaɪdɪd/
past form of “preside” — act as president
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
rattleverbUS /ˈrætəl/
make short successive sounds
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
saucersnounUS /ˈsɔːsərz/
plural of “saucer” — something with a round shape resembling a flat circular plate
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading In one of the classrooms down-stairs Helena Byars, with a dozen other ladies of the parish, presided over a scene of intense activity.
schoolroomnounUS /ˈskuːlruːm/
a room in a school where lessons take place
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
schoolsnounUS /skuːlz/
plural of “school” — an educational institution
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
sugarnounUS /ˈʃʊɡər/
a white crystalline carbohydrate used as a sweetener and preservative
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
urns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading Every window was a patch of vivid orange in the darkness of the walls.
WALKTOWN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
plural of “wall” — 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 Every window was a patch of vivid orange in the darkness of the walls.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Every window was a patch of vivid orange in the darkness of the walls.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
whirringnounUS /ˈwɜːrɪŋ/
sound of something in rapid motion
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading The whole place was pervaded by a loud, whirring hum of talk and laughter and an incredible rattle of plates and saucers.
disposed or inclined toward
From this reading Huge urns of tea ready mixed with the milk and sugar, were being carried up the stone stairs to the big schoolroom by willing hands.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Every window was a patch of vivid orange in the darkness of the walls.
in the company of; together with
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
the words that are spoken
From this reading LAST WORDS AT WALKTOWN The great building of the Walktown national schools blazed with light.
