used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
abyssnounUS /əˈbɪs/
a bottomless gulf or pit; any unfathomable (or apparently unfathomable) cavity or chasm or void extending below (often used figuratively)
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
experiencing a sudden sense of danger
From this reading Judith was no longer alarmed.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
ascendverbUS /əˈsend/
travel up
From this reading To ascend is easier than to go down.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
CHAINEDadjectiveUS /tʃeɪnd/
bound with chains
From this reading CHAINED.
clashnounUS /klæʃ/
A violent confrontation or disagreement between opposing forces or factions.
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
descendverbUS /dɪˈsend/
move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
separated into parts or pieces
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading To ascend is easier than to go down.
let fall to the ground
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
easieradjectiveUS /ˈiːziər/
comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading To ascend is easier than to go down.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
foamingadjectiveUS /ˈfoʊmɪŋ/
emitting or filled with bubbles as from carbonation or fermentation
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading To ascend is easier than to go down.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
ten 10s
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
inevitableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnevətəbəl/
incapable of being avoided or prevented
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To ascend is easier than to go down.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
JudithnounUS /ˈdʒuːdəθ/
Jewish heroine in one of the books of the Apocrypha; she saved her people by decapitating the Assyrian general Holofernes
From this reading Judith was no longer alarmed.
plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
for more time
From this reading Judith was no longer alarmed.
not any; not one
From this reading Judith was no longer alarmed.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
pouringadjectiveUS /ˈpɔːrɪŋ/
flowing profusely
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
racingnounUS /ˈreɪsɪŋ/
the sport of engaging in contests of speed
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
ragingadjectiveUS /ˈreɪdʒɪŋ/
characterized by violent and forceful activity or movement; very intense
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
shelvesnounUS /ʃelvz/
Plural of shelf; the vast wooden or stone structures holding archives.
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
not in physical motion
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading To ascend is easier than to go down.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
a special situation
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
thunderingadjectiveUS /ˈθʌndərɪŋ/
sounding like thunder
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To ascend is easier than to go down.
totalverbUS /ˈtoʊtəl/
add up in number or quantity
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Judith was no longer alarmed.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading There was danger still, that was inevitable; but the danger was as nothing now to what it had been.
in or at the place that
From this reading It is one thing to descend in total darkness into an abyss where one knows that below are sharp rocks, and a drop of two hundred feet to a thundering, raging sea, racing up the sand, pouring over the shelves of rock, foaming where divided waves clash.
