used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do
From this reading And still he knew his hold would be broken unless he received aid within a very few seconds.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And still he knew his hold would be broken unless he received aid within a very few seconds.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
bladesnounUS /bleɪdz/
plural of “blade” — especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
BradnounUS /bræd/
a small nail
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading And still he knew his hold would be broken unless he received aid within a very few seconds.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
churningadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɜːrnɪŋ/
moving with or producing or produced by vigorous agitation
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading It was sure death to let go.
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading And still he knew his hold would be broken unless he received aid within a very few seconds.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading It was sure death to let go.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And still he knew his hold would be broken unless he received aid within a very few seconds.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was sure death to let go.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
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 The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
launchverbUS /lɔːntʃ/
set up or found
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
leerverb
look suggestively or obliquely; look or gaze with a sly, immodest, or malign expression
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading It was sure death to let go.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
LynchverbUS /lɪntʃ/
kill without legal sanction
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
mangleverbUS /ˈmæŋɡəl/
press with a mangle
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
in motion
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
and nothing more
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
go across or through
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
plightnounUS /plaɪt/
a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
probableadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːbəbəl/
likely but not certain to be or become true or real
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading And still he knew his hold would be broken unless he received aid within a very few seconds.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
screwnounUS /skruː/
someone who guards prisoners
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading And still he knew his hold would be broken unless he received aid within a very few seconds.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
not in physical motion
From this reading And still he knew his hold would be broken unless he received aid within a very few seconds.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading It was sure death to let go.
in a swift manner
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
TexannounUS /ˈteksən/
a native or resident of Texas
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Texan knew the probable result of losing his hold and being carried beneath the swiftly moving launch.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
triumphantlyadverbUS /traɪˈʌmfəntli/
in a triumphant manner
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
except if; if not
From this reading And still he knew his hold would be broken unless he received aid within a very few seconds.
precisely as stated
From this reading And still he knew his hold would be broken unless he received aid within a very few seconds.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was sure death to let go.
(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 For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
whirlingnounUS /ˈwɜːrlɪŋ/
the act of rotating in a circle or spiral
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
which person or people
From this reading For a moment Lynch seemed to leer triumphantly at Brad, who realized only too well his own desperate plight.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading And still he knew his hold would be broken unless he received aid within a very few seconds.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading In a moment almost the boat would pass over him and the whirling screw would cut and mangle him with its churning blades.
