used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
backwardsadverbUS /ˈbækwərdz/
at or to or toward the back or rear
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
rid of obstructions
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
provide with a covering or cause to be covered
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
descentnounUS /dɪˈsent/
An action of moving downward, dropping, or falling into a deeper place.
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
dippedadjectiveUS /dɪpt/
having abnormal sagging of the spine (especially in horses)
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
earth-borer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
elbowsnounUS /ˈelboʊz/
plural of “elbow” — hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
fever-pitch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
happeningnounUS /ˈhæpənɪŋ/
an event that happens
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
HolmesnounUS /hoʊmz/
a fictitious detective in stories by A. Conan Doyle
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
imminentadjectiveUS /ˈɪmənənt/
close in time; about to occur
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
jugnounUS /dʒʌɡ/
a large bottle with a narrow mouth
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
and nothing more
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
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 Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
long-awaited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
loopverbUS /luːp/
move in loops
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
Man-Hunt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
Phil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
powerfullyadverbUS /ˈpaʊərfli/
in a powerful manner
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
a strong line
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
sandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
slithered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
sloshedadjective
very drunk
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
snaked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
with low volume
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
starkadjectiveUS /stɑːrk/
devoid of any qualifications or disguise or adornment
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
carry out
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
tautadjectiveUS /tɔːt/
pulled or drawn tight
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading So the rope that snaked softly through the air and dropped in a loop over his shoulders came as a stark surprise.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading Now that the long-awaited time had come, he was at fever-pitch to be off, and it did not take him long to cover the mile of sandy waste.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
water-hole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His thoughts were far inside the earth as he dipped the jug into the clear cool water and sloshed it full.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
at the time that
From this reading _The Man-Hunt_ When Phil Holmes started off to the water-hole, his head was full of the earth-borer and the imminent descent.
yankedverbUS /jæŋkt/
past form of “yank” — pull, or move with a sudden movement
From this reading Before he knew what was happening it had slithered down over his arms and drawn taut just above the elbows, and he was yanked powerfully backwards and almost fell.
