used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
agonizedadjectiveUS /ˈæɡənaɪzd/
expressing pain or agony
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
airmannounUS /ˈermən/
someone who operates an aircraft
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
airplanenounUS /ˈerpleɪn/
an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets
From this reading The airplane and its pilot seemed doomed to utter annihilation.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
annihilationnounUS /əˌnaɪəˈleɪʃən/
destruction by annihilating something
From this reading The airplane and its pilot seemed doomed to utter annihilation.
apprehensionnounUS /ˌæprɪˈhenʃən/
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
awe-stricken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
a youthful male person
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading A sickening sensation of horror and despair gripped the spectators.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
a Spanish gentleman or nobleman
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
doomedadjectiveUS /duːmd/
marked for certain death
From this reading The airplane and its pilot seemed doomed to utter annihilation.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
evolutions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
frightfuladjectiveUS /ˈfraɪtfəl/
provoking horror
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
a long fixed look
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
grippedverbUS /ɡrɪpt/
inflected form of “grip” — hold fast or firmly
From this reading A sickening sensation of horror and despair gripped the spectators.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
HalenounUS /heɪl/
a soldier of the American Revolution who was hanged as a spy by the British; his last words were supposed to have been `I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country' (1755-1776)
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
intense and profound fear
From this reading A sickening sensation of horror and despair gripped the spectators.
huskyadjectiveUS /ˈhʌski/
muscular and heavily built
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
intentnessnoun
the quality of being intent and concentrated
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The airplane and its pilot seemed doomed to utter annihilation.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
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 boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
onlookersnounUS /ˈɔːnlʊkərz/
plural of “onlooker” — someone who looks on
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
performverbUS /pərˈfɔːrm/
carry out or perform an action
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
pilotverbUS /ˈpaɪlət/
operate an airplane
From this reading The airplane and its pilot seemed doomed to utter annihilation.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The airplane and its pilot seemed doomed to utter annihilation.
an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading A sickening sensation of horror and despair gripped the spectators.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
sickeningadjectiveUS /ˈsɪkənɪŋ/
causing or able to cause nausea
From this reading A sickening sensation of horror and despair gripped the spectators.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
spectaclenounUS /ˈspektəkəl/
something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight)
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
spectatorsnounUS /ˈspekteɪtərz/
plural of “spectator” — a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)
From this reading A sickening sensation of horror and despair gripped the spectators.
tensenounUS /tens/
a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
a shaky motion
From this reading Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.
tumblingnounUS /ˈtʌmbəlɪŋ/
the gymnastic moves of an acrobat
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
From this reading The airplane and its pilot seemed doomed to utter annihilation.
vrille
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boy had heard about the “vrille,” and he knew that it is one of the most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent many to their death.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
people who are wounded
From this reading For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a wounded bird, was tumbling through space.
