used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As we circled that town, it seemed as if I couldn’t move.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
automobilesnounUS /ˈɔːtəmoʊbiːlz/
plural of “automobile” — a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading The beach section was nothing but one gigantic rubbish pile.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The beach section was nothing but one gigantic rubbish pile.
canvasnounUS /ˈkænvəs/
a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
chimneysnounUS /ˈtʃɪmniz/
plural of “chimney” — a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
circledverbUS /ˈsɜːrkəld/
past form of “circle” — travel around something
From this reading As we circled that town, it seemed as if I couldn’t move.
cloggedadjectiveUS /klɔːɡd/
thickened or coalesced in soft thick lumps (such as clogs or clots)
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As we circled that town, it seemed as if I couldn’t move.
débris
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
divisible by two
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
giganticadjectiveUS /dʒaɪˈɡæntɪk/
so exceedingly large or extensive as to suggest a giant or mammoth
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading As we circled that town, it seemed as if I couldn’t move.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading As we circled that town, it seemed as if I couldn’t move.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As we circled that town, it seemed as if I couldn’t move.
a narrow way or road
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading As we circled that town, it seemed as if I couldn’t move.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The beach section was nothing but one gigantic rubbish pile.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The beach section was nothing but one gigantic rubbish pile.
overturnedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊvərtɜːrnd/
having been turned so that the bottom is no longer the bottom
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
coated with paint
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading The beach section was nothing but one gigantic rubbish pile.
rubbishnounUS /ˈrʌbɪʃ/
worthless material that is to be disposed of
From this reading The beach section was nothing but one gigantic rubbish pile.
ruinsnounUS /ˈruːənz/
plural of “ruin” — an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
except for; apart from
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
sectionnounUS /ˈsekʃən/
a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical)
From this reading The beach section was nothing but one gigantic rubbish pile.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading As we circled that town, it seemed as if I couldn’t move.
shamblesnounUS /ˈʃæmbəlz/
a condition of great disorder
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
solenounUS /soʊl/
the underside of footwear or a golf club
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
make square
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
not in physical motion
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
Ten-story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As we circled that town, it seemed as if I couldn’t move.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
toppledverbUS /ˈtɑːpəld/
past form of “topple” — fall down, as if collapsing
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading As we circled that town, it seemed as if I couldn’t move.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading As we circled that town, it seemed as if I couldn’t move.
whereon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It looked like some gigantic canvas, whereon some artist had painted his idea of a shambles.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The back part of the town still had buildings; the streets, clogged with small débris and overturned automobiles, was the sole evidence, save for broken chimneys, of the water.
wreckagenounUS /ˈrekədʒ/
the remaining parts of something that has been wrecked
From this reading Ten-story buildings had toppled and fallen in ruins, and for a space of at least a square mile, it seemed, there was not even a lane through the wreckage.
