used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
aimlesslyadverbUS /ˈeɪmləsli/
without aim; in an aimless manner
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
(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 Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
balancedadjectiveUS /ˈbælənst/
being in a state of proper equilibrium
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
bouldernounUS /ˈboʊldər/
a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
clambering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
clingingverbUS /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
collectverbUS /kəˈlekt/
get or gather together
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
courtingnounUS /ˈkɔːrtɪŋ/
a man's courting of a woman; seeking the affections of a woman (usually with the hope of marriage)
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
crashingadjectiveUS /ˈkræʃɪŋ/
informal intensifiers
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
crevicenounUS /ˈkrevəs/
a long narrow depression in a surface
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
dartedverbUS /ˈdɑːrtɪd/
past form of “dart” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
disasternounUS /dɪˈzæstər/
a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
doenounUS /doʊ/
the federal department responsible for maintaining a national energy policy of the United States; created in 1977
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
equilibriumnounUS /ˌiːkwəˈlɪbriəm/
a stable situation in which forces cancel one another
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
escapingverbUS /ɪˈskeɪpɪŋ/
-ing form of “escape” — run away from confinement
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
set up or found
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
franticallyadverbUS /ˈfræntəkəli/
in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
gaspnounUS /ɡæsp/
a short labored intake of breath with the mouth open
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
headlongadverbUS /ˈhedlɔːŋ/
with the head foremost
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
inflected form of “hide” — prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
logannounUS /ˈloʊɡən/
a mountain peak in the St. Elias Range in the southwestern Yukon Territory in Canada (19,850 feet high)
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
a particular point in time
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
musterverbUS /ˈmʌstər/
gather or bring together
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
Myra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
narrowlyadverbUS /ˈneroʊli/
in a narrow manner; not allowing for exceptions
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
negotiateverbUS /nəˈɡoʊʃieɪt/
discuss the terms of an arrangement
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
negotiatedverbUS /nəˈɡoʊʃieɪtəd/
past form of “negotiate” — discuss the terms of an arrangement
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
not any; not one
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
on one occasion
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
and nothing more
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
a course of conduct
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
perilousadjectiveUS /ˈperələs/
fraught with danger
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
plungingverbUS /ˈplʌndʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
precipicenounUS /ˈpresəpəs/
a very steep cliff
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
continue talking
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
releasedverbUS /riˈliːst/
past form of “release” — release, as from one's grip
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
slitheringadjectiveUS /ˈslɪðərɪŋ/
moving as on a slippery surface
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
slopesnounUS /sloʊps/
plural of “slope” — an elevated geological formation
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
spedverbUS /sped/
inflected form of “speed” — move hurridly
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
the rays of the sun
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
terrifiedadjectiveUS /ˈterəfaɪd/
thrown into a state of intense fear or desperation
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She paused for a moment, to collect herself, fancied she heard a noise behind her, and sped away like a startled doe.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
vergenounUS /vɜːrdʒ/
a region marking a boundary
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
precisely as stated
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading And the boulder, which must have been balanced like a logan stone, went crashing over the side of the precipice the moment she had released her hold on it and recovered her equilibrium.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Although she had, as it were, been courting death, Myra was so terrified that she could not proceed for several minutes, and she had to muster up all her courage to negotiate the perilous path.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With a gasp of relief, Myra darted out, negotiated the narrow crevice which hid the door from view, and found herself in the open--and in brilliant sunshine.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading There appeared to be no path, and she ran aimlessly and without the slightest sense of direction, clambering over rocks and slithering down slopes, several times narrowly escaping disaster, and once only escaping from plunging headlong over a precipice by clinging frantically to a boulder on the very verge.
