used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
(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 All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At first Gloom could not see where his foe was.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading He who was in turn the swimmer was now close.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading At first Gloom could not see where his foe was.
the skilled practice of a practical occupation
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading This black mass laughed—the same low, ugly laugh that had preceded the death of Marcus.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first Gloom could not see where his foe was.
foenounUS /foʊ/
an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)
From this reading At first Gloom could not see where his foe was.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading At first Gloom could not see where his foe was.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This black mass laughed—the same low, ugly laugh that had preceded the death of Marcus.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At first Gloom could not see where his foe was.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He who was in turn the swimmer was now close.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
the sound of laughing
From this reading This black mass laughed—the same low, ugly laugh that had preceded the death of Marcus.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading This black mass laughed—the same low, ugly laugh that had preceded the death of Marcus.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading This black mass laughed—the same low, ugly laugh that had preceded the death of Marcus.
Marcus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black mass laughed—the same low, ugly laugh that had preceded the death of Marcus.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
moonlitadjectiveUS /ˈmuːnlɪt/
lighted by moonlight
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading At first Gloom could not see where his foe was.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He who was in turn the swimmer was now close.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
on one occasion
From this reading All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
precededverbUS /prɪˈsiːdɪd/
past form of “precede” — be earlier in time; go back further
From this reading This black mass laughed—the same low, ugly laugh that had preceded the death of Marcus.
Identical; not different.
From this reading This black mass laughed—the same low, ugly laugh that had preceded the death of Marcus.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading At first Gloom could not see where his foe was.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
smackverbUS /smæk/
deliver a hard blow to
From this reading All at once a black mass shot out of the shadow between him and the smack.
swimmernounUS /ˈswɪmər/
a trained athlete who participates in swimming meets
From this reading He who was in turn the swimmer was now close.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading This black mass laughed—the same low, ugly laugh that had preceded the death of Marcus.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This black mass laughed—the same low, ugly laugh that had preceded the death of Marcus.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading He who was in turn the swimmer was now close.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading This black mass laughed—the same low, ugly laugh that had preceded the death of Marcus.
upturnedadjective
having been turned so that the bottom is no longer the bottom
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At first Gloom could not see where his foe was.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading He crouched on the upturned craft, and peered eagerly into the moonlit water.
in or at the place that
From this reading At first Gloom could not see where his foe was.
which person or people
From this reading He who was in turn the swimmer was now close.
