used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At her side Rutherford turned, tossed, and ejaculated between his snatches of sleep.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading At her side Rutherford turned, tossed, and ejaculated between his snatches of sleep.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
brightnessnounUS /ˈbraɪtnəs/
the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
Clara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clara outwatched him.
rid of obstructions
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
constrictingadjectiveUS /kənˈstrɪktɪŋ/
(of circumstances) tending to constrict freedom
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
controlledadjectiveUS /kənˈtroʊld/
restrained or managed or kept within certain bounds
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
damnadjectiveUS /dæm/
used as expletives
From this reading "Oh, damn the drink!
take in liquids
From this reading "Oh, damn the drink!
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
ejaculated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At her side Rutherford turned, tossed, and ejaculated between his snatches of sleep.
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
opinion or judgment
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
floodingnounUS /ˈflʌdɪŋ/
a technique used in behavior therapy; client is flooded with experiences of a particular kind until becoming either averse to them or numbed to them
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Clara outwatched him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At her side Rutherford turned, tossed, and ejaculated between his snatches of sleep.
be the source of pain
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
learntverbUS /lɜːrnt/
inflected form of “learn” — gain knowledge or skills
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, damn the drink!
outwatched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clara outwatched him.
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
patientlyadverbUS /ˈpeɪʃəntli/
with patience; in a patient manner
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
rawadjectiveUS /rɑː/
(used especially of commodities) being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
regretsnounUS /rɪˈɡrets/
a polite refusal of an invitation
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
RutherfordnounUS /ˈrʌθərfərd/
a unit strength of a radioactive source equal to one million disintegrations per second
From this reading At her side Rutherford turned, tossed, and ejaculated between his snatches of sleep.
lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading At her side Rutherford turned, tossed, and ejaculated between his snatches of sleep.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading At her side Rutherford turned, tossed, and ejaculated between his snatches of sleep.
snatchesnounUS /ˈsnætʃɪz/
plural of “snatch” — a small fragment
From this reading At her side Rutherford turned, tossed, and ejaculated between his snatches of sleep.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
inflected form of “teach” — impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
in or at that place or location
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
tossedverbUS /tɔːst/
past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading At her side Rutherford turned, tossed, and ejaculated between his snatches of sleep.
trainedadjectiveUS /treɪnd/
shaped or conditioned or disciplined by training; often used as a combining form
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading At her side Rutherford turned, tossed, and ejaculated between his snatches of sleep.
untroubledadjectiveUS /ənˈtrʌbəld/
not beset by troubles or disturbance or distress
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
showing sorrow
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She lay in the extraordinary stillness to which she had trained herself, with patiently closed eyes and an untroubled brow, but there was the pain of controlled weeping in her throat.
but in spite of that
From this reading She had taught herself to keep her mind clear of regrets, of anger and scorn, that there might always be room for the flooding brightness of her love, but she had not yet learnt to keep back that hard, constricting hurt that stretched across her throat from ear to ear, and made a raw place in her breast.
