used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
abysmaladjectiveUS /əˈbɪzməl/
very great; limitless
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Only the needs of the baby had power to draw its mother away from the canyon edge.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading Only the needs of the baby had power to draw its mother away from the canyon edge.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
canyonnounUS /ˈkænjən/
a ravine formed by a river in an area with little rainfall
From this reading Only the needs of the baby had power to draw its mother away from the canyon edge.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
ceaselessadjectiveUS /ˈsiːslɪs/
uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
CLIMBERnounUS /ˈklaɪmər/
a vine or climbing plant that readily grows up a support or over other plants
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
the first light of day
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
(plural) the deepest and most remote part
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
down-peering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading Only the needs of the baby had power to draw its mother away from the canyon edge.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Only the needs of the baby had power to draw its mother away from the canyon edge.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
explorationnounUS /ˌeksplərˈeɪʃən/
to travel for the purpose of discovery
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
flashesnounUS /ˈflæʃɪz/
plural of “flash” — a sudden intense burst of radiant energy
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
Genevieve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
Gowan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
Isobel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Only the needs of the baby had power to draw its mother away from the canyon edge.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
immediately past
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
mesanounUS /ˈmeɪsə/
flat tableland with steep edges
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Only the needs of the baby had power to draw its mother away from the canyon edge.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
in such a manner as could not be otherwise
From this reading Only the needs of the baby had power to draw its mother away from the canyon edge.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
not any; not one
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
and nothing more
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading Only the needs of the baby had power to draw its mother away from the canyon edge.
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
renewalnounUS /rɪˈnuːəl/
the conversion of wasteland into land suitable for use of habitation or cultivation
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
signaledverbUS /ˈsɪɡnəld/
past form of “signal” — communicate silently and non-verbally by signals or signs
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
very small
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
the upper part of anything
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading THE CLIMBER A day of anxiety, only partly relieved by those tiny flashes of light so far, far down in the awful depths; then the long night of ceaseless watching.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading As throughout the previous day, Gowan brought the ladies food and whatever else they needed.
at the time that
From this reading Neither Genevieve nor Isobel had been able to sleep during those hours when no flash signaled up to them from the abysmal darkness.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Then at last, a full hour after dawn on the mesa top, the down-peering wife had caught the flash that told of the renewal of the exploration.
