used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Instantly there was a hiss like escaping steam.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading The industrious Mr. Speed had been devoting his attention to the planking instead of to the sawed beam.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
beamnounUS /biːm/
a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading The industrious Mr. Speed had been devoting his attention to the planking instead of to the sawed beam.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The industrious Mr. Speed had been devoting his attention to the planking instead of to the sawed beam.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Wan light filtered through the crevice made by the chisel and Mayo planted his palm against the crack.
chiselnounUS /ˈtʃɪzəl/
an edge tool with a flat steel blade with a cutting edge
From this reading Wan light filtered through the crevice made by the chisel and Mayo planted his palm against the crack.
chisel's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
crackverbUS /kræk/
become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
From this reading Wan light filtered through the crevice made by the chisel and Mayo planted his palm against the crack.
crevicenounUS /ˈkrevəs/
a long narrow depression in a surface
From this reading Wan light filtered through the crevice made by the chisel and Mayo planted his palm against the crack.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
devotingverbUS /dɪˈvoʊtɪŋ/
-ing form of “devote” — give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause
From this reading The industrious Mr. Speed had been devoting his attention to the planking instead of to the sawed beam.
dialoguenounUS /ˈdaɪəlɔːɡ/
a conversation between two persons
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
escapingverbUS /ɪˈskeɪpɪŋ/
-ing form of “escape” — run away from confinement
From this reading Instantly there was a hiss like escaping steam.
filteredverbUS /ˈfɪltərd/
past form of “filter” — remove by passing through a filter
From this reading Wan light filtered through the crevice made by the chisel and Mayo planted his palm against the crack.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
graspedverbUS /ɡræspt/
past form of “grasp” — hold firmly
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
hissverbUS /hɪs/
make a sharp hissing sound, as if to show disapproval
From this reading Instantly there was a hiss like escaping steam.
importnounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrt/
commodities (goods or services) bought from a foreign country
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
industriousadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdʌstriəs/
characterized by hard work and perseverance
From this reading The industrious Mr. Speed had been devoting his attention to the planking instead of to the sawed beam.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading Instantly there was a hiss like escaping steam.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading The industrious Mr. Speed had been devoting his attention to the planking instead of to the sawed beam.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Wan light filtered through the crevice made by the chisel and Mayo planted his palm against the crack.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Instantly there was a hiss like escaping steam.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Wan light filtered through the crevice made by the chisel and Mayo planted his palm against the crack.
the officer below the master on a commercial ship
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
MayonounUS /ˈmeɪoʊ/
egg yolks and oil and vinegar
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
a particular point in time
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
a form of address for a man
From this reading The industrious Mr. Speed had been devoting his attention to the planking instead of to the sawed beam.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
palmnounUS /pɑːm/
the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading Wan light filtered through the crevice made by the chisel and Mayo planted his palm against the crack.
plankingnounUS /ˈplæŋkɪŋ/
planks collectively; a quantity of planks
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
plantedadjectiveUS /ˈplæntɪd/
(used especially of ideas or principles) deeply rooted; firmly fixed or held
From this reading Wan light filtered through the crevice made by the chisel and Mayo planted his palm against the crack.
pluggedadjectiveUS /plʌɡd/
(of a coin) altered by the insertion of a plug of base metal
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
pushingnounUS /ˈpʊʃɪŋ/
the act of applying force in order to move something away
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
sawedverbUS /sɔːd/
past form of “saw” — cut with a saw
From this reading The industrious Mr. Speed had been devoting his attention to the planking instead of to the sawed beam.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
move hurridly
From this reading The industrious Mr. Speed had been devoting his attention to the planking instead of to the sawed beam.
steamverbUS /stiːm/
travel by means of steam power
From this reading Instantly there was a hiss like escaping steam.
suffocationnounUS /ˌsʌfəˈkeɪʃən/
killing by depriving of oxygen
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Instantly there was a hiss like escaping steam.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The industrious Mr. Speed had been devoting his attention to the planking instead of to the sawed beam.
in a violent manner
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
WanadjectiveUS /wɑːn/
(of light) lacking in intensity or brightness; dim or feeble
From this reading Wan light filtered through the crevice made by the chisel and Mayo planted his palm against the crack.
a message informing of danger
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Instantly there was a hiss like escaping steam.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The next moment, before Mayo, his thoughts busy with his new danger of suffocation, could voice warning or had grasped the full import of the dialogue, the chisel's edge plugged through the planking.
yelledadjectiveUS /jeld/
in a vehement outcry
From this reading Mayo yelled an oath and set his hands against the mate, pushing him violently away.
