used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
in actual fact
From this reading They actually rose to greet the sun whose first rays were gilding the tops of the hills.
(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 They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading As the pace increased, Bill felt rather than heard the delicate humming of the wires.
Bill'snounUS /bɪlz/
possessive form of “bill” — a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
rid of obstructions
From this reading How they shone in the clear early sunlight!
cordsnounUS /kɔːrdz/
cotton trousers made of corduroy cloth
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading How they shone in the clear early sunlight!
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading As the pace increased, Bill felt rather than heard the delicate humming of the wires.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading They actually rose to greet the sun whose first rays were gilding the tops of the hills.
gildingnounUS /ˈɡɪldɪŋ/
a coating of gold or of something that looks like gold
From this reading They actually rose to greet the sun whose first rays were gilding the tops of the hills.
coins made of gold
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
gossameradjectiveUS /ˈɡɑːsəmər/
characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
greetverbUS /ɡriːt/
express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading They actually rose to greet the sun whose first rays were gilding the tops of the hills.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading As the pace increased, Bill felt rather than heard the delicate humming of the wires.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading They actually rose to greet the sun whose first rays were gilding the tops of the hills.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How they shone in the clear early sunlight!
hummingnounUS /ˈhʌmɪŋ/
a humming noise
From this reading As the pace increased, Bill felt rather than heard the delicate humming of the wires.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
made greater in size or amount or degree
From this reading As the pace increased, Bill felt rather than heard the delicate humming of the wires.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
mistsnounUS /mɪsts/
plural of “mist” — a thin fog with condensation near the ground
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
orbnounUS /ɔːrb/
the ball-shaped capsule containing the vertebrate eye
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading As the pace increased, Bill felt rather than heard the delicate humming of the wires.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
planenounUS /pleɪn/
an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
on the contrary
From this reading As the pace increased, Bill felt rather than heard the delicate humming of the wires.
raysnounUS /reɪz/
plural of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading They actually rose to greet the sun whose first rays were gilding the tops of the hills.
respondingverbUS /rɪˈspɑːndɪŋ/
-ing form of “respond” — show a response or a reaction to something
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading They actually rose to greet the sun whose first rays were gilding the tops of the hills.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading How they shone in the clear early sunlight!
soaredverbUS /sɔːrd/
past form of “soar” — rise rapidly
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading They actually rose to greet the sun whose first rays were gilding the tops of the hills.
the rays of the sun
From this reading How they shone in the clear early sunlight!
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading As the pace increased, Bill felt rather than heard the delicate humming of the wires.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
topsadjectiveUS /tɑːps/
of the highest quality
From this reading They actually rose to greet the sun whose first rays were gilding the tops of the hills.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
the topmost one of two
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
upwardadjectiveUS /ˈʌpwərd/
directed up
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
precisely as stated
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
belonging to which person
From this reading They actually rose to greet the sun whose first rays were gilding the tops of the hills.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading As the plane, responding perfectly to Bill's touch, soared upward, it seemed as though they were rising on gossamer wings out of a well of darkness and mists.
wiresnounUS /ˈwaɪərz/
plural of “wire” — ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
From this reading They went up in the very face of the great orb whose light, first striking the upper wings, turned all the delicate wires and cords to gold.
