used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
anew
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
at or in the front
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading “That small cable runs right along overhead,” declared Ned, holding up the lantern to better illuminate the roof.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
blacknessnounUS /ˈblæknəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
BlakenounUS /bleɪk/
visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)
From this reading “I’m blessed if I can see what’s holding it up there!” he continued.
cablenounUS /ˈkeɪbəl/
a telegram sent abroad
From this reading “That small cable runs right along overhead,” declared Ned, holding up the lantern to better illuminate the roof.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “I’m blessed if I can see what’s holding it up there!” he continued.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
without stop or interruption
From this reading “I’m blessed if I can see what’s holding it up there!” he continued.
made known or openly avowed
From this reading “That small cable runs right along overhead,” declared Ned, holding up the lantern to better illuminate the roof.
downwardadjectiveUS /ˈdaʊnwərd/
extending or moving from a higher to a lower place
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
dump-car
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
at any time
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
feebleadjectiveUS /ˈfiːbəl/
pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
gleamverbUS /ɡliːm/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
in a gradual manner
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I’m blessed if I can see what’s holding it up there!” he continued.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
the act of retaining something
From this reading “That small cable runs right along overhead,” declared Ned, holding up the lantern to better illuminate the roof.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I’m blessed if I can see what’s holding it up there!” he continued.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’m blessed if I can see what’s holding it up there!” he continued.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “I’m blessed if I can see what’s holding it up there!” he continued.
illuminateverbUS /ɪˈluː.mɪ.neɪt/
To light up or make clear; to decorate a manuscript with gold, silver, or brilliant colors.
From this reading “That small cable runs right along overhead,” declared Ned, holding up the lantern to better illuminate the roof.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
lanternnounUS /ˈlæntərn/
light in a transparent protective case
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
narrowedadjectiveUS /ˈneroʊd/
reduced in size as by squeezing together
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
Ned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
onwardadverbUS /ˈɔːnwərd/
forward in time or order or degree
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading “That small cable runs right along overhead,” declared Ned, holding up the lantern to better illuminate the roof.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
pitchyadjective
of the blackest black; similar to the color of jet or coal
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
railsnounUS /reɪlz/
a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
recedingnounUS /rɪˈsiːdɪŋ/
a slow or gradual disappearance
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “That small cable runs right along overhead,” declared Ned, holding up the lantern to better illuminate the roof.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
rumbledverbUS /ˈrʌmbəld/
past form of “rumble” — make a low noise
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
plural of “run” — a score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely
From this reading “That small cable runs right along overhead,” declared Ned, holding up the lantern to better illuminate the roof.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “I’m blessed if I can see what’s holding it up there!” he continued.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “That small cable runs right along overhead,” declared Ned, holding up the lantern to better illuminate the roof.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As the dump-car moved steadily downward along the rails, Ned Blake held the lantern high and peered ahead.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
in or at that place or location
From this reading “I’m blessed if I can see what’s holding it up there!” he continued.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
up to a particular time
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
tunnelverbUS /ˈtʌnəl/
move through by or as by digging
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “That small cable runs right along overhead,” declared Ned, holding up the lantern to better illuminate the roof.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Beyond the small circle of light was a wall of pitchy blackness, ever receding as they moved toward it and closing again behind them as they rumbled onward.
what's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’m blessed if I can see what’s holding it up there!” he continued.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading The feeble yellow gleam showed the rock roof and sides of the tunnel, which gradually narrowed till it became barely wide enough to allow the passage of the car.
