used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the valley was not exactly a normal one.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading More girders for the completion of the grid projected from the sand just outside its circle.
completionnounUS /kəmˈpliːʃən/
(American football) a successful forward pass in football
From this reading More girders for the completion of the grid projected from the sand just outside its circle.
conicaladjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnɪkəl/
relating to or resembling a cone
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
craternounUS /ˈkreɪtər/
a bowl-shaped geological formation at the top of a volcano
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
criss-cross
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
EighteenadjectiveUS /eɪˈtiːn/
being one more than seventeen
From this reading Eighteen hundred feet of steel grid soared overhead.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading But the valley was not exactly a normal one.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Eighteen hundred feet of steel grid soared overhead.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading More girders for the completion of the grid projected from the sand just outside its circle.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading More girders for the completion of the grid projected from the sand just outside its circle.
girdersnounUS /ˈɡɜːrdərz/
plural of “girder” — a beam made usually of steel; a main support in a structure
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
glisteningadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪsənɪŋ/
reflecting light
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
gridnounUS /ɡrɪd/
a pattern of regularly spaced horizontal and vertical lines
From this reading Eighteen hundred feet of steel grid soared overhead.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
ten 10s
From this reading Eighteen hundred feet of steel grid soared overhead.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading More girders for the completion of the grid projected from the sand just outside its circle.
and nothing more
From this reading More girders for the completion of the grid projected from the sand just outside its circle.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
normaladjectiveUS /ˈnɔːrməl/
conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal
From this reading But the valley was not exactly a normal one.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But the valley was not exactly a normal one.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Eighteen hundred feet of steel grid soared overhead.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But the valley was not exactly a normal one.
outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/
being on the outside or further from a center
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading More girders for the completion of the grid projected from the sand just outside its circle.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading Eighteen hundred feet of steel grid soared overhead.
coated with paint
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
pitnounUS /pɪt/
A large hole in the ground, or an abyss of darkness and peril.
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
projectedadjectiveUS /prəˈdʒektəd/
extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
From this reading More girders for the completion of the grid projected from the sand just outside its circle.
one of four equal parts
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
ring-shapedadjective
shaped like a ring
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading More girders for the completion of the grid projected from the sand just outside its circle.
slopingadjectiveUS /ˈsloʊpɪŋ/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
smoothlyadverbUS /ˈsmuːðli/
with no problems or difficulties
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
soaredverbUS /sɔːrd/
past form of “soar” — rise rapidly
From this reading Eighteen hundred feet of steel grid soared overhead.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading Eighteen hundred feet of steel grid soared overhead.
steeplyadverbUS /ˈstiːpli/
in a steep manner
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
structurenounUS /ˈstrʌktʃər/
a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
the upper part of anything
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading But the valley was not exactly a normal one.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading It made a criss-cross, ring-shaped wall more than a quarter mile high and almost to the top of the surrounding mountains.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But the valley was not exactly a normal one.
belonging to which person
From this reading It was a crater, now: a steeply sloping, conical pit whose walls descended smoothly to the outer girders of the red painted, glistening steel structure.
