All 6 Uses
monotonous
in
To the Lighthouse
(Auto-generated)
- so that the monotonous fall of the waves on the beach, which for the most part beat a measured and soothing tattoo to her thoughts and seemed consolingly to repeat over and over again as she sat with the children the words of some old cradle song, murmured by nature, "I am guarding you—I am your support," but at other times suddenly and unexpectedly, especially when her mind raised itself slightly from the task actually in hand, had no such kindly meaning, but like a ghostly roll of drums remorselessly beat the measure of life, made one think of the destruction of the island and its engulfment in the sea, and warned her whose day had slipped past in one quick doing after another that it was†
Part 1monotonous = lacking in variety and/or boring
- She bore about with her, she could not help knowing it, the torch of her beauty; she carried it erect into any room that she entered; and after all, veil it as she might, and shrink from the monotony of bearing that it imposed on her, her beauty was apparent.†
Part 1 *monotony = lack of variety
- it was like a beautiful mountain such as she had seen abroad, with valleys and flowers and bells ringing and birds singing and little goats and antelopes and...She could see the words echoing as she spoke them rhythmically in Cam's mind, and Cam was repeating after her how it was like a mountain, a bird's nest, a garden, and there were little antelopes, and her eyes were opening and shutting, and Mrs. Ramsay went on speaking still more monotonously, and more rhythmically and more nonsensically, how she must shut her eyes and go to sleep and dream of mountains and valleys and stars falling and parrots and antelopes and gardens, and everything lovely, she said, raising her head very slowly an†
Part 1monotonously = lacking in variety and/or boring
- Can't paint, can't write, she murmured monotonously, anxiously considering what her plan of attack should be.†
Part 3
- How monotonous, they would say, and the same always!†
Part 3
- It was no monotony of bliss—she with her impulses and quicknesses; he with his shudders and glooms.†
Part 3monotony = lack of variety
Definitions:
-
(1)
(monotonous) lacking in variety -- typically boring
- (2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)