used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
acted upon; influenced
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
the skilled practice of a practical occupation
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
Dromans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
eclipseverbUS /ɪˈklɪps/
be greater in significance than
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading It must be that it is in some way a most extraordinary eclipse."
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
Hypogeans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
LEPRAYLYA
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
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 BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It _was_ a most extraordinary eclipse, and there _was_ something awful about it--something more awful than we thought.
used to form the superlative
From this reading It must be that it is in some way a most extraordinary eclipse."
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
of an obscure nature
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
quiveringnounUS /ˈkwɪvərɪŋ/
a shaky motion
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
unusual or striking
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
RhodesnounUS /roʊdz/
British colonial financier and statesman in South Africa
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
shoresnounUS /ʃɔːrz/
plural of “shore” — the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It must be that it is in some way a most extraordinary eclipse."
a thing, without saying which
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It _was_ a most extraordinary eclipse, and there _was_ something awful about it--something more awful than we thought.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
in or at that place or location
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "It must be the eclipse," said Rhodes, "that has affected the Dromans in this manner so remarkable.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading It _was_ a most extraordinary eclipse, and there _was_ something awful about it--something more awful than we thought.
threesnounUS /θriːz/
plural of “three” — the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is plain, Bill, that there is something about this sudden darkness that is mysterious and awful to these Hypogeans.
twosnounUS /tuːz/
plural of “two” — the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It _was_ a most extraordinary eclipse, and there _was_ something awful about it--something more awful than we thought.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading It must be that it is in some way a most extraordinary eclipse."
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading BEFORE LEPRAYLYA One by one, in twos and threes and then in a body, the small craft had dropped behind, and now we were alone on the black waters, across which, from the shores and from many of the boats, came quivering lines of light.
