used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
(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 The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading At awkward spots Kit seized Austin’s arm.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At awkward spots Kit seized Austin’s arm.
Austin'snounUS /ˈɔːstənz/
possessive form of “austin” — state capital of Texas on the Colorado River; site of the University of Texas
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
awkwardadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkwərd/
causing inconvenience
From this reading At awkward spots Kit seized Austin’s arm.
blast-lamps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
dazzlingadjectiveUS /ˈdæzəlɪŋ/
amazingly impressive; suggestive of the flashing of lightning
From this reading Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)
From this reading Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel.
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
illuminationnounUS /ˌɪluːməˈneɪʃən/
a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination
From this reading Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
KitnounUS /kɪt/
a case for containing a set of articles
From this reading At awkward spots Kit seized Austin’s arm.
set down according to a plan
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
latticenounUS /ˈlætəs/
an arrangement of points or particles or objects in a regular periodic pattern in 2 or 3 dimensions
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
nettedadjectiveUS /ˈnetɪd/
having open interstices or resembling a web
From this reading Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
planksnounUS /plæŋks/
plural of “plank” — a stout length of sawn timber; made in a wide variety of sizes and used for many purposes
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
plungeverbUS /plʌndʒ/
thrust or throw into
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
screamedverbUS /skriːmd/
past form of “scream” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
past form of “seize” — take hold of; grab
From this reading At awkward spots Kit seized Austin’s arm.
slantedadjectiveUS /ˈslæntɪd/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
slipperyadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpəri/
causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
spotsnounUS /spɑːts/
spots before the eyes caused by opaque cell fragments in the vitreous humor and lens
From this reading At awkward spots Kit seized Austin’s arm.
make steady
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel.
throbbingnounUS /ˈθrɑːbɪŋ/
an instance of rapid strong pulsation (of the heart)
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
tiesnounUS /taɪz/
plural of “tie” — neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
having come into contact
From this reading Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel.
understudynounUS /ˈʌndərstʌdi/
an actor able to replace a regular performer when required
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The planks laid across the ties were slippery; the flames from the throbbing blast-lamps slanted, and sometimes all was dark.
a Caucasian
From this reading Then the white fires leaped up and a dazzling illumination touched the netted steel.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Austin’s understudy Snow blew about the bridge and the savage wind screamed in the lattice.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Bob was not steady, the planks were narrow, and if one went across the edge one would plunge to the river.
