Chapter III · The Wright Brothers

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

plural of “age” — how long something has existed

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading Just before the Wright’s experiment Langley had stayed up in the air in a machine invented and built by himself.

an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

make by combining materials and parts

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness

From this reading Just before the Wright’s experiment Langley had stayed up in the air in a machine invented and built by himself.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Just before the Wright’s experiment Langley had stayed up in the air in a machine invented and built by himself.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

an official prosecutor for a judicial district

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

divisible by two

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

the act of conducting a controlled test or investigation

From this reading Just before the Wright’s experiment Langley had stayed up in the air in a machine invented and built by himself.

relating to or based on experiment

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

make full, also in a metaphorical sense

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

travel through the air; be airborne

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

moving swiftly

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Just before the Wright’s experiment Langley had stayed up in the air in a machine invented and built by himself.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

past form of “invent” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort

From this reading Just before the Wright’s experiment Langley had stayed up in the air in a machine invented and built by himself.

someone who is the first to think of or make something

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

and nothing more

From this reading Just before the Wright’s experiment Langley had stayed up in the air in a machine invented and built by himself.

unit of solar radiation

From this reading Just before the Wright’s experiment Langley had stayed up in the air in a machine invented and built by himself.

staying power

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

Italian painter and sculptor and engineer and scientist and architect; the most versatile genius of the Italian Renaissance (1452-1519)

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

the force of workers available

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

by chance

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

an amount of time

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

express in words

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

past form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Just before the Wright’s experiment Langley had stayed up in the air in a machine invented and built by himself.

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

occupy a large, elongated area

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The Captain had first to fill his pipe, and stretch his legs before he began his story.

not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune

From this reading If he had not died at so unfortunate a period in his experimental life, perhaps he might have been the inventor of the airplane.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Even in the middle ages Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.

possessive form of “wright” — United States writer of detective novels (1888-1939)

From this reading Just before the Wright’s experiment Langley had stayed up in the air in a machine invented and built by himself.

plural of “wright” — United States writer of detective novels (1888-1939)

From this reading “Of course,” he said, “we can’t really say that the Wrights were the first men to fly, or to build a machine that would fly.