used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
(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 I think all our men felt it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
anticipatedadjectiveUS /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/
expected hopefully
From this reading We had anticipated this moment for so long, dreaded it.
apprehensionnounUS /ˌæprɪˈhenʃən/
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
banditsnounUS /ˈbændəts/
plural of “bandit” — an armed thief who is (usually) a member of a band
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
besiegedadjectiveUS /bɪˈsiːdʒd/
surrounded by hostile forces
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
dreadedadjectiveUS /ˈdredɪd/
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading We had anticipated this moment for so long, dreaded it.
Earth-men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
EncountersnounUS /ɪnˈkaʊntərz/
plural of “encounter” — a minor short-term fight
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
an opposing military force
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading I think all our men felt it.
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We had anticipated this moment for so long, dreaded it.
HarmlessadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrmləs/
not causing or capable of causing harm
From this reading A shout went up: "Harmless!"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I think all our men felt it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
immediately past
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
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 We had anticipated this moment for so long, dreaded it.
MartiannounUS /ˈmɑːrʃən/
imaginary people who live on the planet Mars
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
the force of workers available
From this reading I think all our men felt it.
a particular point in time
From this reading We had anticipated this moment for so long, dreaded it.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading I think all our men felt it.
radium-ore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
utter in a loud voice; talk in a loud voice (usually denoting characteristic manner of speaking)
From this reading A shout went up: "Harmless!"
Sidenote
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading We had anticipated this moment for so long, dreaded it.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I think all our men felt it.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading We had anticipated this moment for so long, dreaded it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed, with that first shot from the enemy, that a great relief came to me--an apprehension fallen away.
ultra-scientific
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A shout went up: "Harmless!"
wagenounUS /weɪdʒ/
something that remunerates
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We had anticipated this moment for so long, dreaded it.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading A shout went up: "Harmless!"
in the company of; together with
From this reading _The First Encounters_ [Sidenote: The besieged Earth-men wage grim, ultra-scientific war with Martian bandits in a last great struggle for their radium-ore--and their lives.]
