at or in the front
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
(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 The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
cargo-holds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
From this reading They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships.
fine-screen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
fleetnounUS /fliːt/
group of aircraft operating together under the same ownership
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
set up or found
From this reading They found the landing-grid.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships.
guard-boats
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
imagesnounUS /ˈɪmədʒəz/
plural of “image” — an iconic mental representation
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships.
incapableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkeɪpəbəl/
(followed by “of”) lacking capacity or ability
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships.
landing-grid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They found the landing-grid.
linersnounUS /ˈlaɪnərz/
plural of “liner” — (baseball) a hit that flies straight out from the batter
From this reading They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
most important element
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
and nothing more
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
originallyadverbUS /ərˈɪdʒənəli/
in an original manner
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
overdriveverbUS /ˈoʊvərdraɪv/
drive or work too hard
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
scout-ships
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
scoutsnounUS /skaʊts/
plural of “scout” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
solar-system
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
possessing sweep
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
They'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They'd originally been guard-boats, intended for solar-system duty only and quite incapable of overdrive.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
transformedadjectiveUS /trænˈsfɔːrmd/
given a completely different form or appearance
From this reading They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships.
transmittingnounUS /trænˈsmɪtɪŋ/
the act of sending a message; causing a message to be transmitted
From this reading The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down.
Wealdnoun
an area of open or forested country
From this reading They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There were small scout-ships which came on ahead of the main fleet.
