used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Leo was but a few seconds in making the descent, and yet it seemed to be as many hours to him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Leo was but a few seconds in making the descent, and yet it seemed to be as many hours to him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
belchingnounUS /ˈbeltʃɪŋ/
the forceful expulsion of something from inside
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
coastingverbUS /ˈkoʊstɪŋ/
-ing form of “coast” — move effortlessly; by force of gravity
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
descentnounUS /dɪˈsent/
An action of moving downward, dropping, or falling into a deeper place.
From this reading Leo was but a few seconds in making the descent, and yet it seemed to be as many hours to him.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
opinion or judgment
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Leo was but a few seconds in making the descent, and yet it seemed to be as many hours to him.
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
foremostadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmoʊst/
ranking above all others
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
intense and profound fear
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Leo was but a few seconds in making the descent, and yet it seemed to be as many hours to him.
icyadjectiveUS /ˈaɪsi/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
increasingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/
becoming greater or larger
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
LeonounUS /ˈliːoʊ/
(astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Leo
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
LuckilyadverbUS /ˈlʌkəli/
by good fortune
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Leo was but a few seconds in making the descent, and yet it seemed to be as many hours to him.
Malvern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
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 Leo was but a few seconds in making the descent, and yet it seemed to be as many hours to him.
naughtnounUS /nɔːt/
a quantity of no importance
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
recollectionnounUS /ˌrekəˈlekʃən/
the ability to recall past occurrences
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
roaringnounUS /ˈrɔːrɪŋ/
a deep prolonged loud noise
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
except for; apart from
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading Leo was but a few seconds in making the descent, and yet it seemed to be as many hours to him.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Leo was but a few seconds in making the descent, and yet it seemed to be as many hours to him.
seizeverbUS /siːz/
take hold of; grab
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
slednounUS /sled/
a vehicle mounted on runners and pulled by horses or dogs; for transportation over snow
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
slidingadjectiveUS /ˈslaɪdɪŋ/
being a smooth continuous motion
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
slipperyadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpəri/
causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
move hurridly
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
stroveverbUS /stroʊv/
inflected form of “strive” — attempt by employing effort
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He had a recollection of hearing a cry of horror escape the lips of his friends, and then nothing save the roaring sound of the belching flames below him reached his ears.
in or at that place or location
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
communicated in words
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading In vain he strove to seize upon something to stay his progress; there was naught but the smooth surface, and his speed kept on increasing.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
at the time that
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When Leo Malvern felt himself sliding down the slippery wall of rock he closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, thinking that all was up with him.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Luckily he was sliding feet foremost, and had it not been for the fact that death stared him in the face, he would almost have imagined that he was coasting down an icy hill without a sled.
but in spite of that
From this reading Leo was but a few seconds in making the descent, and yet it seemed to be as many hours to him.
