used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There was a diversion of the circling driving rod as the pace slackened.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
batteredadjectiveUS /ˈbætərd/
damaged by blows or hard usage
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
chokingadjectiveUS /ˈtʃoʊ.kɪŋ/
Causing difficulty in breathing.
From this reading "She's dead," said Roberts, choking a queer sound way down in his throat.
circlingverbUS /ˈsɜːrkəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “circle” — travel around something
From this reading There was a diversion of the circling driving rod as the pace slackened.
coalnounUS /koʊl/
fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
without stop or interruption
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
crippledadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪpəld/
disabled in the feet or legs
From this reading The great steel locomotive slowed down like a crippled giant.
crouchingverbUS /ˈkraʊtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading "She's dead," said Roberts, choking a queer sound way down in his throat.
diversionnounUS /daɪˈvɜːrʒən/
an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates
From this reading There was a diversion of the circling driving rod as the pace slackened.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The great steel locomotive slowed down like a crippled giant.
having the power of driving or impelling
From this reading There was a diversion of the circling driving rod as the pace slackened.
engineernounUS /ˈendʒəˈnɪr/
a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
firemannounUS /ˈfaɪrmən/
play in which children pretend to put out a fire
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading The great steel locomotive slowed down like a crippled giant.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The great steel locomotive slowed down like a crippled giant.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "She's dead," said Roberts, choking a queer sound way down in his throat.
hissingnounUS /ˈhɪsɪŋ/
a fricative sound (especially as an expression of disapproval)
From this reading Then a violent hissing sound told of a leak somewhere in the machinery.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then a violent hissing sound told of a leak somewhere in the machinery.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
leaknounUS /liːk/
an accidental hole that allows something (fluid or light etc.) to enter or escape
From this reading Then a violent hissing sound told of a leak somewhere in the machinery.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The great steel locomotive slowed down like a crippled giant.
locomotivenounUS /ˌloʊkəˈmoʊtɪv/
a wheeled vehicle consisting of a self-propelled engine that is used to draw trains along railway tracks
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
machinerynounUS /məˈʃiːnəri/
machines or machine systems collectively
From this reading Then a violent hissing sound told of a leak somewhere in the machinery.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading There was a diversion of the circling driving rod as the pace slackened.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading "She's dead," said Roberts, choking a queer sound way down in his throat.
RobertsnounUS /ˈrɑːbərts/
United States biochemist (born in England) honored for his discovery that some genes contain introns (born in 1943)
From this reading "She's dead," said Roberts, choking a queer sound way down in his throat.
rodnounUS /rɑːd/
a long thin implement made of metal or wood
From this reading There was a diversion of the circling driving rod as the pace slackened.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "She's dead," said Roberts, choking a queer sound way down in his throat.
She's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "She's dead," said Roberts, choking a queer sound way down in his throat.
slackenedverbUS /ˈslækənd/
past form of “slacken” — become slow or slower
From this reading There was a diversion of the circling driving rod as the pace slackened.
slowedverbUS /sloʊd/
past form of “slow” — lose velocity; move more slowly
From this reading The great steel locomotive slowed down like a crippled giant.
in or at or to some place
From this reading Then a violent hissing sound told of a leak somewhere in the machinery.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Then a violent hissing sound told of a leak somewhere in the machinery.
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 The great steel locomotive slowed down like a crippled giant.
given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then a violent hissing sound told of a leak somewhere in the machinery.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a diversion of the circling driving rod as the pace slackened.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading "She's dead," said Roberts, choking a queer sound way down in his throat.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Then a violent hissing sound told of a leak somewhere in the machinery.
acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity
From this reading Then a violent hissing sound told of a leak somewhere in the machinery.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a diversion of the circling driving rod as the pace slackened.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "She's dead," said Roberts, choking a queer sound way down in his throat.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
WRECKnounUS /rek/
something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
From this reading THE WRECK The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender.
