used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading She strove to seize it, but her breath was well-nigh spent, and with a spring she shot toward the air.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
AssyriannounUS /əˈsɪriən/
an inhabitant of ancient Assyria
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
bubblesnounUS /ˈbʌbəlz/
plural of “bubble” — a hollow globule of gas (e.g., air or carbon dioxide)
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She strove to seize it, but her breath was well-nigh spent, and with a spring she shot toward the air.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
circlesnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəlz/
plural of “circle” — ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
coatedadjectiveUS /ˈkoʊtəd/
having a coating; covered with an outer layer or film; often used in combination
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
cunninglyadverb
in an attractive manner
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
DAGONnounUS /ˈdeɪɡən/
god of agriculture and the earth; national god of Philistines
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
darkeradjectiveUS /ˈdɑːrkər/
comparative of “dark” — devoid of or deficient in light or brightness; shadowed or black
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
devicenounUS /dɪˈvaɪs/
an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
divedverbUS /daɪvd/
past form of “dive” — drop steeply
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
DownwardadjectiveUS /ˈdaʊnwərd/
extending or moving from a higher to a lower place
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
edgedadjectiveUS /edʒd/
having a specified kind of border or edge
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
fearingverbUS /ˈfɪrɪŋ/
-ing form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
fro
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
in a gradual manner
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
gropingadjectiveUS /ˈɡroʊpɪŋ/
acting with uncertainty or hesitance or lack of confidence
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She strove to seize it, but her breath was well-nigh spent, and with a spring she shot toward the air.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
set down according to a plan
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
lake-bed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
immediately past
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
a female domestic
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
meltedadjectiveUS /ˈmeltəd/
changed from a solid to a liquid state
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
merrimentnoun
a gay feeling
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
mouthsnounUS /maʊðz/
plural of “mouth” — the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
muckverbUS /mʌk/
remove muck, clear away muck, as in a mine
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
poolsnounUS /puːlz/
plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
seizeverbUS /siːz/
take hold of; grab
From this reading She strove to seize it, but her breath was well-nigh spent, and with a spring she shot toward the air.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
sharp-edged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading She strove to seize it, but her breath was well-nigh spent, and with a spring she shot toward the air.
slantingadjectiveUS /ˈslæntɪŋ/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
slimyadjectiveUS /ˈslaɪmi/
covered with or resembling slime
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
slipperyadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpəri/
causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
snaredverbUS /snerd/
past form of “snare” — catch in or as if in a trap
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading She strove to seize it, but her breath was well-nigh spent, and with a spring she shot toward the air.
the season of growth
From this reading She strove to seize it, but her breath was well-nigh spent, and with a spring she shot toward the air.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
stroveverbUS /stroʊv/
inflected form of “strive” — attempt by employing effort
From this reading She strove to seize it, but her breath was well-nigh spent, and with a spring she shot toward the air.
swayedverbUS /sweɪd/
past form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
swimmernounUS /ˈswɪmər/
a trained athlete who participates in swimming meets
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
very small
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
having come into contact
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading She strove to seize it, but her breath was well-nigh spent, and with a spring she shot toward the air.
trapnounUS /træp/
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
precisely as stated
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
weedsnounUS /wiːdz/
a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Full well she knew the space a swimmer might remain beneath the waves, and when at last four tiny bubbles rose, she took one long, deep breath, and dived.
well-nighadverb
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading She strove to seize it, but her breath was well-nigh spent, and with a spring she shot toward the air.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
at the time that
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
in or at the place that
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Downward her course was laid in a slanting line, down to the very lake-bed, where the rocks were coated with a slimy muck, and tall grey weeds swayed gently to and fro.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading She worked in circles among the sharp-edged, slippery stones, groping with hands and feet where shadows closed the mouths of the darker pools; and at last she touched his hand.
but in spite of that
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading A PRAYER TO DAGON As the young Assyrian sank, the maid smiled cunningly and edged away, fearing to be snared in a trap of her own device; yet when the moments melted one by one, her merriment gave place to fear.
