used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
AboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
at or in the front
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Getting through that dome had been his first urgent problem, but now he had another, and a more pressing one.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Getting through that dome had been his first urgent problem, but now he had another, and a more pressing one.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
buryingnounUS /ˈberiɪŋ/
concealing something under the ground
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Getting through that dome had been his first urgent problem, but now he had another, and a more pressing one.
capenounUS /keɪp/
a strip of land projecting into a body of water
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
the protruding part of the lower jaw
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
city'snounUS /ˈsɪtiz/
possessive form of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
commandsnounUS /kəˈmændz/
plural of “command” — an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
desiresnounUS /dɪˈzaɪərz/
plural of “desire” — the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
dimlyadverbUS /ˈdɪmli/
in a dim indistinct manner
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
displaynounUS /dɪˈspleɪ/
something intended to communicate a particular impression
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
distortedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɔːrtəd/
so badly formed or out of shape as to be ugly
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
DomenounUS /doʊm/
a concave shape whose distinguishing characteristic is that the concavity faces downward
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Getting through that dome had been his first urgent problem, but now he had another, and a more pressing one.
foldsnounUS /foʊldz/
plural of “fold” — an angular or rounded shape made by folding
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
garishadjectiveUS /ˈɡerɪʃ/
tastelessly showy
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading Getting through that dome had been his first urgent problem, but now he had another, and a more pressing one.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
impassiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpæsɪv/
having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
Kal-Jmar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
Lillis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
loitered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
the force of workers available
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
a particular point in time
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
multicoloredadjectiveUS /ˌmʌltiˈkʌlərd/
having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Getting through that dome had been his first urgent problem, but now he had another, and a more pressing one.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
on one occasion
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Getting through that dome had been his first urgent problem, but now he had another, and a more pressing one.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
patrolmannounUS /pəˈtroʊlmæn/
a policeman who patrols a given region
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
pressingnounUS /ˈpresɪŋ/
the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure
From this reading Getting through that dome had been his first urgent problem, but now he had another, and a more pressing one.
a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading Getting through that dome had been his first urgent problem, but now he had another, and a more pressing one.
the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
Rector's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
(especially of incident sound or light) bent or sent back
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
robotsnounUS /ˈroʊbɑːts/
plural of “robot” — a mechanism that can move automatically
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
space-burned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
subtlyadverbUS /ˈsʌtəli/
in a subtle manner
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
Syme
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
translucentadjectiveUS /trænˈsluːsənt/
allowing light to pass through diffusely
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
untoldadjectiveUS /ənˈtoʊld/
too much to be measured
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Then he turned, burying his long chin in the folds of his sand cape, and took up the pursuit of the dark figure ahead once more.
urgentadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrdʒənt/
compelling immediate action
From this reading Getting through that dome had been his first urgent problem, but now he had another, and a more pressing one.
the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money
From this reading Two men had died before Syme Rector's guns to give him the key to the ancient city of Kal-Jmar--a city of untold wealth, and of robots that made desires instant commands.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Above, the city's multicolored lights were reflected from the translucent Dome--a distant, subtly distorted Lillis, through which the stars shone dimly.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The tall man loitered a moment before a garish window display, his eyes impassive in his space-burned face, as the Lillis patrolman passed.
