used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He woke with a stifling sense of oppression.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The crushing sensation had been so vivid that it was several minutes before he could overcome it.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The crushing sensation had been so vivid that it was several minutes before he could overcome it.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Eventually, his head clearing somewhat, he struggled up, gasping for breath and fighting a surge of nausea.
cavingverbUS /ˈkeɪvɪŋ/
-ing form of “cave” — hollow out as if making a cave or opening
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
clearingnounUS /ˈklɪrɪŋ/
a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
From this reading Eventually, his head clearing somewhat, he struggled up, gasping for breath and fighting a surge of nausea.
an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The crushing sensation had been so vivid that it was several minutes before he could overcome it.
crushingadjectiveUS /ˈkrʌʃɪŋ/
physically or spiritually devastating; often used in combination
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
enclosingnounUS /enˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of enclosing something inside something else
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
EventuallyadverbUS /ɪˈventʃəwəli/
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading Eventually, his head clearing somewhat, he struggled up, gasping for breath and fighting a surge of nausea.
the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
From this reading Eventually, his head clearing somewhat, he struggled up, gasping for breath and fighting a surge of nausea.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For some minutes, he seemed unable to move.
gaspingverbUS /ˈɡæspɪŋ/
-ing form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
From this reading Eventually, his head clearing somewhat, he struggled up, gasping for breath and fighting a surge of nausea.
grindingnounUS /ˈɡraɪndɪŋ/
material resulting from the process of grinding
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The crushing sensation had been so vivid that it was several minutes before he could overcome it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He woke with a stifling sense of oppression.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Eventually, his head clearing somewhat, he struggled up, gasping for breath and fighting a surge of nausea.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
indefiniteadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdefənət/
vague or not clearly defined or stated
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The crushing sensation had been so vivid that it was several minutes before he could overcome it.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading For some minutes, he seemed unable to move.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading For some minutes, he seemed unable to move.
nauseanounUS /ˈnɔːziə/
the state that precedes vomiting
From this reading Eventually, his head clearing somewhat, he struggled up, gasping for breath and fighting a surge of nausea.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He woke with a stifling sense of oppression.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
oppressionnounUS /əˈpreʃən/
the act of subjugating by cruelty
From this reading He woke with a stifling sense of oppression.
win a victory over
From this reading The crushing sensation had been so vivid that it was several minutes before he could overcome it.
an amount of time
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading For some minutes, he seemed unable to move.
an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading The crushing sensation had been so vivid that it was several minutes before he could overcome it.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading He woke with a stifling sense of oppression.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading The crushing sensation had been so vivid that it was several minutes before he could overcome it.
the state of being asleep
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
smotheringadjectiveUS /ˈsmʌðərɪŋ/
causing difficulty in breathing especially through lack of fresh air and presence of heat
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The crushing sensation had been so vivid that it was several minutes before he could overcome it.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For some minutes, he seemed unable to move.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading Eventually, his head clearing somewhat, he struggled up, gasping for breath and fighting a surge of nausea.
spherenounUS /sfɪr/
a particular environment or walk of life
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
stiflingnounUS /ˈstaɪflɪŋ/
forceful prevention; putting down by power or authority
From this reading He woke with a stifling sense of oppression.
struggledverbUS /ˈstrʌɡəld/
past form of “struggle” — make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
surgeverbUS /sɜːrdʒ/
rise and move, as in waves or billows
From this reading Eventually, his head clearing somewhat, he struggled up, gasping for breath and fighting a surge of nausea.
terrifiedadjectiveUS /ˈterəfaɪd/
thrown into a state of intense fear or desperation
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For some minutes, he seemed unable to move.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading For some minutes, he seemed unable to move.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Eventually, his head clearing somewhat, he struggled up, gasping for breath and fighting a surge of nausea.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading The crushing sensation had been so vivid that it was several minutes before he could overcome it.
wakingadjectiveUS /ˈweɪ.kɪŋ/
Risen from sleep; conscious.
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading In that indefinite period between sleeping and waking, he struggled with a terrified conviction that the whole mass of the enclosing sphere was caving in on him, smothering, crushing his chest, grinding him against the floor.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He woke with a stifling sense of oppression.
wokeverbUS /woʊk/
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading He woke with a stifling sense of oppression.
