used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It is night, and the wind is sighing itself away.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It is night, and the wind is sighing itself away.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
a small house with a single story
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
coveringnounUS /ˈkʌvərɪŋ/
a natural object that covers or envelops
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
crispadjectiveUS /krɪsp/
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
being one more than seven
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
imperceptibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmpərˈseptɪbəl/
impossible or difficult to perceive by the mind or senses
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
increasingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/
becoming greater or larger
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is night, and the wind is sighing itself away.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is night, and the wind is sighing itself away.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading It is night, and the wind is sighing itself away.
and nothing more
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
leadsnounUS /liːdz/
plural of “lead” — an advantage held by a competitor in a race
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
listensverbUS /ˈlɪsənz/
third-person singular of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
mildadjectiveUS /maɪld/
moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
a particular point in time
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It is night, and the wind is sighing itself away.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
go across or through
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
sheddingnounUS /ˈʃedɪŋ/
the process whereby something is shed
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
sighingverbUS /ˈsaɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading It is night, and the wind is sighing itself away.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
spotlessadjectiveUS /ˈspɑːtləs/
completely neat and clean
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
streamsnounUS /striːmz/
plural of “stream” — a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It is night, and the wind is sighing itself away.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
in the direction of
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading She listens to the sound of feet on the crisp snow--they come nearer--they are opposite the turn that leads to the cottage: but they pass on.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The snow has ceased to fall, and the moon looks down upon the hills in their spotless covering, shedding her soft, mild light upon all.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading It is night, and the wind is sighing itself away.
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 The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The church clock has just struck eight, and for nearly an hour a woman has stood looking towards the town, her anxiety increasing every moment.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The little cottage on the hill side would be imperceptible, were it not for the light that streams through the window and the open door.
