used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Ten thousand persons in New York looked skyward at the first rumble of sound.
blindingadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
plural of “body” — the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
boilingnounUS /ˈbɔɪlɪŋ/
the application of heat to change something from a liquid to a gas
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
an occurrence of something
From this reading Case thought he knew....]
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
cindernounUS /ˈsɪndər/
a fragment of incombustible matter left after a wood or coal or charcoal fire
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
eyeballsnounUS /ˈaɪbɔːlz/
plural of “eyeball” — the ball-shaped capsule containing the vertebrate eye
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Ten thousand persons in New York looked skyward at the first rumble of sound.
fissuresnounUS /ˈfɪʃərz/
plural of “fissure” — a long narrow depression in a surface
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Case thought he knew....]
an opening into or through something
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
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 Case thought he knew....]
liquefiedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪkwəfaɪd/
reduced to a liquid state
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Ten thousand persons in New York looked skyward at the first rumble of sound.
occurring by chance
From this reading They were the lucky ones.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Ten thousand persons in New York looked skyward at the first rumble of sound.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading They were the lucky ones.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
plural of “person” — a human being
From this reading Ten thousand persons in New York looked skyward at the first rumble of sound.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
rumbleverbUS /ˈrʌmbəl/
make a low noise
From this reading Ten thousand persons in New York looked skyward at the first rumble of sound.
searedadjectiveUS /sɪrd/
having the surface burned quickly with intense heat
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
Sidenote
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
skywardadjectiveUS /ˈskaɪwərd/
directed toward heaven or the sky
From this reading Ten thousand persons in New York looked skyward at the first rumble of sound.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Ten thousand persons in New York looked skyward at the first rumble of sound.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading Ten thousand persons in New York looked skyward at the first rumble of sound.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were the lucky ones.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Case thought he knew....]
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading Ten thousand persons in New York looked skyward at the first rumble of sound.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
vitalsnoun
a bodily organ that is essential for life
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The flash caught them that way, seared them to cinder, liquefied their eyeballs, brought their vitals boiling out of the fissures of their bodies.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were the lucky ones.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading [Sidenote: What was this blinding force that came out of a hole in the sky, and was powerful enough to destroy an entire city?
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading Ten thousand persons in New York looked skyward at the first rumble of sound.
