used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading From the station the spacecraft blended so well with the dust that it could not be seen.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The long-barrelled machine rifle would have been invisible to the sharpest of eye.
blazingadjectiveUS /ˈbleɪzɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
blendedadjectiveUS /ˈblendɪd/
combined or mixed together so that the constituent parts are indistinguishable
From this reading From the station the spacecraft blended so well with the dust that it could not be seen.
placed in a grave
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
Centauri
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
without doubt or question
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
not accessible to view
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading From the station the spacecraft blended so well with the dust that it could not be seen.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
remove the dust from
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
the organ of sight
From this reading The long-barrelled machine rifle would have been invisible to the sharpest of eye.
flatlands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the station the spacecraft blended so well with the dust that it could not be seen.
GalacticadjectiveUS /ɡəˈlæktɪk/
of or relating to a galaxy (especially our galaxy the Milky Way)
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading The long-barrelled machine rifle would have been invisible to the sharpest of eye.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading From the station the spacecraft blended so well with the dust that it could not be seen.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
lofting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
long-barrelled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The long-barrelled machine rifle would have been invisible to the sharpest of eye.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
From this reading The long-barrelled machine rifle would have been invisible to the sharpest of eye.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading From the station the spacecraft blended so well with the dust that it could not be seen.
observernounUS /əbˈzɜːrvər/
a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
and nothing more
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
plainsnounUS /pleɪnz/
plural of “plain” — extensive tract of level open land
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
powderyadjectiveUS /ˈpaʊdəri/
consisting of fine particles
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
Proximanoun
the nearest star to the sun; distance: 4.3 light years
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading The long-barrelled machine rifle would have been invisible to the sharpest of eye.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading From the station the spacecraft blended so well with the dust that it could not be seen.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
sharpestadjectiveUS /ˈʃɑːrpəst/
superlative of “sharp” — (of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading The long-barrelled machine rifle would have been invisible to the sharpest of eye.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading From the station the spacecraft blended so well with the dust that it could not be seen.
spacecraftnounUS /ˈspeɪskræft/
a craft capable of traveling in outer space; technically, a satellite around the sun
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
SurveynounUS /sərˈveɪ/
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Buried in the loose, powdery dust that covered Proxima Centauri I, a spacecraft lay concealed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
turretnounUS /ˈtɜːrət/
a small tower extending above a building
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Ten miles across the blazing flatlands of dust, Galactic Survey Station I was clearly visible.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading From the station the spacecraft blended so well with the dust that it could not be seen.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
in or at the place that
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
which person or people
From this reading Only a sharp observer who knew where to look and what to look for could have seen the turret of the spacecraft lofting above the dusty plains.
in the company of; together with
From this reading From the station the spacecraft blended so well with the dust that it could not be seen.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The long-barrelled machine rifle would have been invisible to the sharpest of eye.
