used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
(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 Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
antonymnoun
a word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
BarelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
basicadjectiveUS /ˈbeɪsɪk/
pertaining to or constituting a base or basis
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
beckonedverbUS /ˈbekənd/
past form of “beckon” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
third-person singular of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
a period of 100 years
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
conceivedverbUS /kənˈsiːvd/
past form of “conceive” — have the idea for
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
confuseverbUS /kənˈfjuːz/
mistake one thing for another
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
desperationnounUS /ˌdespərˈeɪʃən/
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
Earth-type
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
elapsedadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæpst/
(of time) having passed or slipped by
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
eruptedverbUS /ˌiːˈrʌptɪd/
past form of “erupt” — start abruptly
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
explorationnounUS /ˌeksplərˈeɪʃən/
to travel for the purpose of discovery
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
fantasynounUS /ˈfæntəsi/
imagination unrestricted by reality
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
fervornounUS /ˈfɜːrvər/
feelings of great warmth and intensity
From this reading Never in the history of the race had fervor reached such a peak and held so long.
the trait of acting stupidly or rashly
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
frighteningadjectiveUS /ˈfraɪtənɪŋ/
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
fumbleverbUS /ˈfʌmbəl/
feel about uncertainly or blindly
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
galaxynounUS /ˈɡæləksi/
a splendid assemblage (especially of famous people)
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
gropeverbUS /ɡroʊp/
feel about uncertainly or blindly
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
only a very short time before
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Never in the history of the race had fervor reached such a peak and held so long.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading Never in the history of the race had fervor reached such a peak and held so long.
the quality of being humane
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
the lack of knowledge or education
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
ignoredadjectiveUS /ˌɪɡˈnɔːrd/
disregarded
From this reading The question of why was seemingly ignored.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
lemming-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Never in the history of the race had fervor reached such a peak and held so long.
magnitudenounUS /ˈmæɡnətuːd/
the property of relative size or extent (whether large or small)
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
all of the living human inhabitants of the earth
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
plural of “million” — the number that is represented as a one followed by 6 zeros
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Never in the history of the race had fervor reached such a peak and held so long.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
obstaclesnounUS /ˈɑːbstəkəlz/
plural of “obstacle” — something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
originnounUS /ˈɔːrədʒən/
the place where something begins, where it springs into being
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
peaknounUS /piːk/
the most extreme possible amount or value
From this reading Never in the history of the race had fervor reached such a peak and held so long.
planetnounUS /ˈplænət/
(astronomy) any of the nine large celestial bodies in the solar system that revolve around the sun and shine by reflected light
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
planetsnounUS /ˈplænəts/
plural of “planet” — (astronomy) any of the nine large celestial bodies in the solar system that revolve around the sun and shine by reflected light
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
populatingverbUS /ˈpɑːpjəleɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “populate” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
problemsnounUS /ˈprɑːbləmz/
plural of “problem” — a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading The question of why was seemingly ignored.
any competition
From this reading Never in the history of the race had fervor reached such a peak and held so long.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Never in the history of the race had fervor reached such a peak and held so long.
concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
seeminglyadverbUS /ˈsiːmɪŋli/
from appearances alone
From this reading The question of why was seemingly ignored.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Never in the history of the race had fervor reached such a peak and held so long.
SolaradjectiveUS /ˈsoʊlər/
relating to or derived from the sun or utilizing the energies of the sun
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
solvedadjectiveUS /sɑːlvd/
explained or answered
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Never in the history of the race had fervor reached such a peak and held so long.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The question of why was seemingly ignored.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._ _But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude.
at the time that
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading The question of why was seemingly ignored.
accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
in the company of; together with
From this reading _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_ _Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin than he began to fumble into space.
zealnounUS /ziːl/
a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)
From this reading Barely a century had elapsed in the exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._ _And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its fantasy dream of populating the galaxy.
