used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were circling in a great curve toward the north.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The pilot turned to his passenger and tried to warn him of what he was about to do.
at or in the front
From this reading But Tom had recovered his self-possession and was staring straight ahead with steady intensity.
aircraftnounUS /ˈerkræft/
a vehicle that can fly
From this reading Stillinger was giving his full attention to managing his aircraft now.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The pilot turned to his passenger and tried to warn him of what he was about to do.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading Stillinger was giving his full attention to managing his aircraft now.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading This route would bring them nearer to the lines of battle.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading This route would bring them nearer to the lines of battle.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Tom had recovered his self-possession and was staring straight ahead with steady intensity.
circlingverbUS /ˈsɜːrkəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “circle” — travel around something
From this reading They were circling in a great curve toward the north.
curvenounUS /kɜːrv/
the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
From this reading They were circling in a great curve toward the north.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The pilot turned to his passenger and tried to warn him of what he was about to do.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Stillinger was giving his full attention to managing his aircraft now.
the act of giving
From this reading Stillinger was giving his full attention to managing his aircraft now.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading They were circling in a great curve toward the north.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But Tom had recovered his self-possession and was staring straight ahead with steady intensity.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The pilot turned to his passenger and tried to warn him of what he was about to do.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The pilot turned to his passenger and tried to warn him of what he was about to do.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Stillinger was giving his full attention to managing his aircraft now.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were circling in a great curve toward the north.
intensitynounUS /ɪnˈtensəti/
the amount of energy transmitted (as by acoustic or electromagnetic radiation)
From this reading But Tom had recovered his self-possession and was staring straight ahead with steady intensity.
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading This route would bring them nearer to the lines of battle.
managingverbUS /ˈmænədʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading Stillinger was giving his full attention to managing his aircraft now.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading This route would bring them nearer to the lines of battle.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading They were circling in a great curve toward the north.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Stillinger was giving his full attention to managing his aircraft now.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This route would bring them nearer to the lines of battle.
passengernounUS /ˈpæsəndʒər/
a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it
From this reading The pilot turned to his passenger and tried to warn him of what he was about to do.
pilotverbUS /ˈpaɪlət/
operate an airplane
From this reading The pilot turned to his passenger and tried to warn him of what he was about to do.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading But Tom had recovered his self-possession and was staring straight ahead with steady intensity.
routenounUS /ruːt/
an established line of travel or access
From this reading This route would bring them nearer to the lines of battle.
self-possessionnoun
the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior
From this reading But Tom had recovered his self-possession and was staring straight ahead with steady intensity.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading But Tom had recovered his self-possession and was staring straight ahead with steady intensity.
make steady
From this reading But Tom had recovered his self-possession and was staring straight ahead with steady intensity.
Stillinger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stillinger was giving his full attention to managing his aircraft now.
successive (without a break)
From this reading But Tom had recovered his self-possession and was staring straight ahead with steady intensity.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They were circling in a great curve toward the north.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading This route would bring them nearer to the lines of battle.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were circling in a great curve toward the north.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This route would bring them nearer to the lines of battle.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Stillinger was giving his full attention to managing his aircraft now.
male cat
From this reading But Tom had recovered his self-possession and was staring straight ahead with steady intensity.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading They were circling in a great curve toward the north.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading The pilot turned to his passenger and tried to warn him of what he was about to do.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The pilot turned to his passenger and tried to warn him of what he was about to do.
warnverbUS /wɔːrn/
notify of danger, potential harm, or risk
From this reading The pilot turned to his passenger and tried to warn him of what he was about to do.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Stillinger was giving his full attention to managing his aircraft now.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were circling in a great curve toward the north.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The pilot turned to his passenger and tried to warn him of what he was about to do.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But Tom had recovered his self-possession and was staring straight ahead with steady intensity.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading This route would bring them nearer to the lines of battle.
