used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
AdanounUS /ˈeɪdə/
an enzyme found in mammals that can catalyze the deamination of adenosine into inosine and ammonia
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
from appearances alone
From this reading Opposite to her squatted the man, apparently in slumber.
archnounUS /ɑːrtʃ/
a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an opening
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She had been sitting close to the sphere in the cliff.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading CAPTAIN JACKMAN.
a steep high face of rock
From this reading She had been sitting close to the sphere in the cliff.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading She had been sitting close to the sphere in the cliff.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
Conway
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
departingverbUS /dɪˈpɑːrtɪŋ/
-ing form of “depart” — move away from a place into another direction
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
discnounUS /dɪsk/
sound recording consisting of a disk with a continuous groove; used to reproduce music by rotating while a phonograph needle tracks in the groove
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
framedadjectiveUS /freɪmd/
provided with a frame
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had been sitting close to the sphere in the cliff.
the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
JACKMAN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CAPTAIN JACKMAN.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Opposite to her squatted the man, apparently in slumber.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
in motion
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
nestlingnounUS /ˈnestlɪŋ/
young bird not yet fledged
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
northwardsadverb
in a northern direction
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading Opposite to her squatted the man, apparently in slumber.
orificenounUS /ˈɔːrəfəs/
an aperture or hole that opens into a bodily cavity
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
palpitatingadjectiveUS /ˈpælpəteɪtɪŋ/
having a slight and rapid trembling motion
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
ringingnounUS /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/
the sound of a bell ringing
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
sailingnounUS /ˈseɪlɪŋ/
the work of a sailor
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had been sitting close to the sphere in the cliff.
shrieknounUS /ʃriːk/
sharp piercing cry
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading She had been sitting close to the sphere in the cliff.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
slumbernounUS /ˈslʌmbər/
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Opposite to her squatted the man, apparently in slumber.
snow-whiteadjective
of the white color of snow
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
spear-head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
spherenounUS /sfɪr/
a particular environment or walk of life
From this reading She had been sitting close to the sphere in the cliff.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
squatted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Opposite to her squatted the man, apparently in slumber.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
the upper part of anything
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
visiblyadverbUS /ˈvɪzəbli/
in a visible manner
From this reading The disc framed a scene of midnight heavens full of palpitating stars, and slowly moving snow-white clouds sailing northwards, and a corner of moon like a silver spear-head nestling in and visibly departing from the top arch of the orifice.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
at the time that
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they came afterwards to know, when Ada Conway sprang, with a violent ringing shriek, to her feet.
