used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Suddenly he was a lunging maniac, tearing up the street.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They were breaking away, forgetting about their guns and fleeing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They were breaking away, forgetting about their guns and fleeing.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Men seemed to be coming out of a trance.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
the act of breaking something
From this reading They were breaking away, forgetting about their guns and fleeing.
carsnounUS /kɑːrz/
plural of “car” — a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Men seemed to be coming out of a trance.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
desperatelyadverbUS /ˈdespərətli/
with great urgency
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
fleeingverbUS /ˈfliːɪŋ/
-ing form of “flee” — run away quickly
From this reading They were breaking away, forgetting about their guns and fleeing.
forgettingverbUS /fərˈɡetɪŋ/
inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading They were breaking away, forgetting about their guns and fleeing.
gas-storage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading They were breaking away, forgetting about their guns and fleeing.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
HawkesverbUS /hɔːks/
third-person singular of “hawk” — sell or offer for sale from place to place
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Suddenly he was a lunging maniac, tearing up the street.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
jerkedverbUS /dʒɜːrkt/
past form of “jerk” — pull, or move with a sudden movement
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
lungingverbUS /ˈlʌndʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “lunge” — make a thrusting forward movement
From this reading Suddenly he was a lunging maniac, tearing up the street.
maniacnounUS /ˈmeɪniæk/
an insane person
From this reading Suddenly he was a lunging maniac, tearing up the street.
the force of workers available
From this reading Men seemed to be coming out of a trance.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
motionsnounUS /ˈmoʊʃənz/
plural of “motion” — the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Men seemed to be coming out of a trance.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Men seemed to be coming out of a trance.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
the season of growth
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Suddenly he was a lunging maniac, tearing up the street.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly he was a lunging maniac, tearing up the street.
tanksnounUS /tæŋks/
plural of “tank” — an enclosed armored military vehicle; has a cannon and moves on caterpillar treads
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
tearingnounUS /ˈterɪŋ/
shedding tears
From this reading Suddenly he was a lunging maniac, tearing up the street.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Suddenly he was a lunging maniac, tearing up the street.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were breaking away, forgetting about their guns and fleeing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
trancenounUS /træns/
a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation
From this reading Men seemed to be coming out of a trance.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Suddenly he was a lunging maniac, tearing up the street.
a vivid mental image
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Suddenly he was a lunging maniac, tearing up the street.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
in or at the place that
From this reading Hawkes jerked his eyes down toward the big gas-storage tanks where most of them had been, and the glow that had been in the corner of his vision was gone.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Now the others were running--some toward cars, and some toward the corners, running flat and desperately on the flat of their feet, without any spring to their motions.
