used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Suddenly she clutched his arm with a nervous movement.
absorbedadjectiveUS /əbˈzɔːrbd/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
ArabianounUS /əˈreɪbiə/
a peninsula between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf; strategically important for its oil resources
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
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 Suddenly she clutched his arm with a nervous movement.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “What is it?” he asked, seeming to awaken from a trance.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Nadia was at Brad’s side.
awakenverbUS /əˈweɪkən/
cause to become awake or conscious
From this reading “What is it?” he asked, seeming to awaken from a trance.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
Brad'snounUS /brædz/
possessive form of “brad” — a small nail
From this reading Nadia was at Brad’s side.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
clutchedverbUS /klʌtʃt/
past form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Suddenly she clutched his arm with a nervous movement.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
brought together in one place
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “What is it?” he asked, seeming to awaken from a trance.
heednounUS /hiːd/
paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people)
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Suddenly she clutched his arm with a nervous movement.
of the present time and place
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “What is it?” he asked, seeming to awaken from a trance.
isthmusnounUS /ˈɪsməs/
a relatively narrow strip of land (with water on both sides) connecting two larger land areas
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “What is it?” he asked, seeming to awaken from a trance.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading Suddenly she clutched his arm with a nervous movement.
Nadia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nadia was at Brad’s side.
easily agitated
From this reading Suddenly she clutched his arm with a nervous movement.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
seemingadjectiveUS /ˈsiːmɪŋ/
appearing as such but not necessarily so
From this reading “What is it?” he asked, seeming to awaken from a trance.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Suddenly she clutched his arm with a nervous movement.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Nadia was at Brad’s side.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
spectaclenounUS /ˈspektəkəl/
something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight)
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
having great beauty and splendor
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
stalkingnounUS /ˈstɔːkɪŋ/
a hunt for game carried on by following it stealthily or waiting in ambush
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly she clutched his arm with a nervous movement.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
surroundingsnounUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋz/
the environmental condition
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
SyrianounUS /ˈsɪriə/
an Asian republic in the Middle East at the east end of the Mediterranean; site of some of the world's most ancient centers of civilization
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading So absorbed had our friends been by the splendid spectacle, that they had failed to give heed to their immediate surroundings.
trancenounUS /træns/
a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation
From this reading “What is it?” he asked, seeming to awaken from a trance.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sun was gone, blue shadows gathered, and night came stalking up from Syria and Arabia beyond the isthmus.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What is it?” he asked, seeming to awaken from a trance.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Suddenly she clutched his arm with a nervous movement.
