used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
experiencing a sudden sense of danger
From this reading We have been greatly alarmed, dear mother.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
bedsnounUS /bedz/
plural of “bed” — a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading We have been greatly alarmed, dear mother.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point
From this reading Mr. Wilson’s house was last night burned to the ground.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
calamitynounUS /kəˈlæməti/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
dearly loved
From this reading We have been greatly alarmed, dear mother.
spoiled or ruined or demolished
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
devastationnounUS /ˌdevəˈsteɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
a social unit living together
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
start firing a weapon
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading Oh what frightful flames!
frightfuladjectiveUS /ˈfraɪtfəl/
provoking horror
From this reading Oh what frightful flames!
to an extraordinary extent or degree
From this reading We have been greatly alarmed, dear mother.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Mr. Wilson’s house was last night burned to the ground.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading We have been greatly alarmed, dear mother.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
intense and profound fear
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Mr. Wilson’s house was last night burned to the ground.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
immediately past
From this reading Mr. Wilson’s house was last night burned to the ground.
in order that something should not happen
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
misfortunenounUS /mɪˈsfɔːrtʃən/
unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading We have been greatly alarmed, dear mother.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Wilson’s house was last night burned to the ground.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Mr. Wilson’s house was last night burned to the ground.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading Oh what frightful flames!
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mr. Wilson’s house was last night burned to the ground.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mr. Wilson’s house was last night burned to the ground.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
precisely as stated
From this reading The air was as red as blood; my heart beat very strong, I trembled lest the family should be destroyed in their beds.—It was dreadful to see such devastation by fire; how careful we ought to be to avoid the sudden horror of so terrible a calamity.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mr. Wilson’s house was last night burned to the ground.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We have been greatly alarmed, dear mother.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Oh what frightful flames!
Wilson'snounUS /ˈwɪlsənz/
possessive form of “wilson” — author of the first novel by an African American that was published in the United States (1808-1870)
From this reading Mr. Wilson’s house was last night burned to the ground.
Wilsons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If they had been careful, this misfortune would not have happened; the two Miss Wilsons were the occasion of it.
