Chapter II · Chapter 2

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

having companions or an escort

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading * * * * * It was an ordeal of silence.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Then began sheer torture.

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

terminate

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

comparative of “deeply” — to a great depth psychologically or emotionally

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

the act of digging

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

subject to guidance or control especially after launching

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

the act of retaining something

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

belonging to the class of nouns denoting nonliving things

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

past form of “inch” — advance slowly, as if by inches

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading * * * * * It was an ordeal of silence.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

an uneasy psychological state

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

not any; not one

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading * * * * * It was an ordeal of silence.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

a severe or trying experience

From this reading * * * * * It was an ordeal of silence.

a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

the time that has elapsed

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

plural of “pore” — any tiny hole admitting passage of a liquid (fluid or gas)

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

introduce

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

a shaky motion

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

try to get or reach

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers

From this reading Then began sheer torture.

a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading * * * * * It was an ordeal of silence.

superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

weep convulsively

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading By no motion, sound or slightest sign of consciousness could he seek relief.

propelled violently in a usually narrow stream

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

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 Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

engaged in a struggle to overcome especially poverty or obscurity

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

in a sturdy manner

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

salty fluid secreted by sweat glands

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then began sheer torture.

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

torment emotionally or mentally

From this reading Then began sheer torture.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

up to a particular time

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

force or impel in an indicated direction

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading * * * * * It was an ordeal of silence.

-ing form of “well” — come up, as of a liquid

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

during the time that

From this reading Inanimate Chris Travers lay, holding his pose sturdily, although it seemed that the sweat was spurting from the pores, while a thin, cruel knife-blade drove into the quivering nerves beneath his left thumb-nail.

which person or people

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.

to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)

From this reading Deeper and deeper it inched, accompanied by the soft breathing of the man who guided it, until Chris felt one great sob of pain welling up inside him, struggling to break past his lips; felt a tremendous urge to writhe, to break away from the digging steel.