used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A neck snapped about; a head was lowered in his direction.
aliensnounUS /ˈeɪliənz/
plural of “alien” — a person who comes from a foreign country; someone who does not owe allegiance to your country
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Ross skirted the clamoring barrier of salkars and headed for the fairing.
ashoreadverbUS /əˈʃɔːr/
towards the shore from the water
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
barriernounUS /ˈbæriər/
a structure or object that impedes free movement
From this reading Ross skirted the clamoring barrier of salkars and headed for the fairing.
beachedverbUS /biːtʃt/
past form of “beach” — land on a beach
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point
From this reading He smelled the rank stench of reptile combined with burned flesh.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
clamoringnounUS /ˈklæmərɪŋ/
loud and persistent outcry from many people
From this reading Ross skirted the clamoring barrier of salkars and headed for the fairing.
combinedadjectiveUS /kəmˈbaɪnd/
made or joined or united into one
From this reading He smelled the rank stench of reptile combined with burned flesh.
without stop or interruption
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
digverbUS /dɪɡ/
turn up, loosen, or remove earth
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading A neck snapped about; a head was lowered in his direction.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
fairing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ross skirted the clamoring barrier of salkars and headed for the fairing.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat
From this reading He smelled the rank stench of reptile combined with burned flesh.
flippersnounUS /ˈflɪpərz/
plural of “flipper” — a shoe for swimming; the paddle-like front is an aid in swimming (especially underwater)
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Ross skirted the clamoring barrier of salkars and headed for the fairing.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He smelled the rank stench of reptile combined with burned flesh.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading A neck snapped about; a head was lowered in his direction.
headedadjectiveUS /ˈhedəd/
having a heading or course in a certain direction
From this reading Ross skirted the clamoring barrier of salkars and headed for the fairing.
helplesslyadverbUS /ˈhelpləsli/
in a helpless manner
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A neck snapped about; a head was lowered in his direction.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
loweredadjectiveUS /ˈloʊərd/
below the surround or below the normal position
From this reading A neck snapped about; a head was lowered in his direction.
absolutely essential
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading A neck snapped about; a head was lowered in his direction.
not any; not one
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Ross skirted the clamoring barrier of salkars and headed for the fairing.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
pursueverbUS /pərˈsuː/
carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another
From this reading He smelled the rank stench of reptile combined with burned flesh.
reptilenounUS /ˈreptaɪl/
any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia including tortoises, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, and extinct forms
From this reading He smelled the rank stench of reptile combined with burned flesh.
RossnounUS /rɑːs/
Scottish explorer who led Arctic expeditions that yielded geographic discoveries while searching for the Northwest Passage (1777-1856)
From this reading Ross skirted the clamoring barrier of salkars and headed for the fairing.
salkars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ross skirted the clamoring barrier of salkars and headed for the fairing.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
skirtedverbUS /ˈskɜːrtɪd/
past form of “skirt” — avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
From this reading Ross skirted the clamoring barrier of salkars and headed for the fairing.
smelledverbUS /smeld/
past form of “smell” — inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense
From this reading He smelled the rank stench of reptile combined with burned flesh.
snappedverbUS /snæpt/
inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading A neck snapped about; a head was lowered in his direction.
stenchnounUS /stentʃ/
a distinctive odor that is offensively unpleasant
From this reading He smelled the rank stench of reptile combined with burned flesh.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But no desire could give them the necessary energy to pull far ashore.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A neck snapped about; a head was lowered in his direction.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
yieldingadjectiveUS /ˈjiːldɪŋ/
inclined to yield to argument or influence or control
From this reading Almost helplessly beached, they continued to dig into the yielding sand with their flippers in a vain effort to pursue the aliens.
