Chapter IV · Chapter 4

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

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

from one side of something to the other

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

anew

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

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

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The girl, curled up at his side like a cat, paid little attention to the marvel of the flames.

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading The girl, curled up at his side like a cat, paid little attention to the marvel of the flames.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats

From this reading The girl, curled up at his side like a cat, paid little attention to the marvel of the flames.

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

the person or thing chosen or selected

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

rid of obstructions

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

plural of “crest” — the top line of a hill, mountain, or wave

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

(of hair) making curls or having been made to curl

From this reading The girl, curled up at his side like a cat, paid little attention to the marvel of the flames.

past form of “dance” — move in a graceful and rhythmical way

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

in a diagonal manner

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

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

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

opinion or judgment

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

having your attention fixated as though by a spell

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

start firing a weapon

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

a long narrow depression in a surface

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

past form of “flicker” — move back and forth very rapidly

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

existing as or having characteristics of a gas

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

a group of persons together in one place

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

a young female

From this reading The girl, curled up at his side like a cat, paid little attention to the marvel of the flames.

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

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

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

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

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

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

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

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

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

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

plural of “inch” — a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The girl, curled up at his side like a cat, paid little attention to the marvel of the flames.

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

be amazed at

From this reading The girl, curled up at his side like a cat, paid little attention to the marvel of the flames.

the common people generally

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

not any; not one

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

make less visible or unclear

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

and nothing more

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

round yellow to orange fruit of any of several citrus trees

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading The girl, curled up at his side like a cat, paid little attention to the marvel of the flames.

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

past form of “shift” — make a shift in or exchange of

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

marked by exceptional merit

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

the act of firing a projectile

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading The girl, curled up at his side like a cat, paid little attention to the marvel of the flames.

an instance of visual perception

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

a descent as through liquid (especially through water)

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

happening unexpectedly

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

in a confused mass

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

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

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

plural of “thicket” — a dense growth of bushes

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

push forcefully

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

up to a particular time

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

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

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

plural of “tongue” — a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

two of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

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

From this reading Sometimes only a few inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly.

a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

relating to or produced by or consisting of volcanoes

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

migratory

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

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

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE I From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered against the gathering dark.

marked by extreme lack of restraint or control

From this reading Her big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth between the man's brooding face and the obscure black thickets which filled the valley behind him.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.

of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk

From this reading Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grom, sitting on his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no choice but to believe that they were live things like himself.