used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
plural of “age” — how long something has existed
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
being joined in close association
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
axisnounUS /ˈæksəs/
a straight line through a body or figure that satisfies certain conditions
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
bitsnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
brassnounUS /bræs/
an alloy of copper and zinc
From this reading At last it was freed, a three-foot circular sheet of glass mounted on a framework of brass and wood.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
carpetnounUS /ˈkɑːrpət/
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
centernounUS /ˈsɛn.tər/
The middle point or core of an area.
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
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 The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
circularadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrkjələr/
having the shape or form of a circle
From this reading At last it was freed, a three-foot circular sheet of glass mounted on a framework of brass and wood.
rid of obstructions
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
clutternounUS /ˈklʌtər/
a confused multitude of things
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
cogwheels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
crankingverbUS /ˈkræŋkɪŋ/
-ing form of “crank” — travel along a zigzag path
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
drapingverbUS /ˈdreɪpɪŋ/
-ing form of “drape” — arrange in a particular way
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
remove the dust from
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
plural of “effort” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
frameworknounUS /ˈfreɪmwɜːrk/
a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process
From this reading At last it was freed, a three-foot circular sheet of glass mounted on a framework of brass and wood.
freedverbUS /friːd/
past form of “free” — grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading At last it was freed, a three-foot circular sheet of glass mounted on a framework of brass and wood.
the dressed hairy coat of a mammal
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
hairsnounUS /herz/
plural of “hair” — a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
harnessverbUS /ˈhɑːrnəs/
put a harness
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
junknounUS /dʒʌŋk/
the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
immediately past
From this reading At last it was freed, a three-foot circular sheet of glass mounted on a framework of brass and wood.
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
mechanismnounUS /ˈmekənɪzəm/
the atomic process that occurs during a chemical reaction
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
moth-eatenadjective
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support
From this reading At last it was freed, a three-foot circular sheet of glass mounted on a framework of brass and wood.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading At last it was freed, a three-foot circular sheet of glass mounted on a framework of brass and wood.
outhousenounUS /ˈaʊthaʊs/
a small outbuilding with a bench having holes through which a user can defecate
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
padsnounUS /pædz/
plural of “pad” — a number of sheets of paper fastened together along one edge
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
persistedverbUS /pərˈsɪstɪd/
past form of “persist” — continue to exist
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
pricklingnoun
a somatic sensation as from many tiny stings
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
Renaud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
similar things placed in order or happening one after another
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading At last it was freed, a three-foot circular sheet of glass mounted on a framework of brass and wood.
slipsnounUS /slɪps/
plural of “slip” — a socially awkward or tactless act
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
move hurridly
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
spidernounUS /ˈspaɪdər/
predatory arachnid with eight legs, two poison fangs, two feelers, and usually two silk-spinning organs at the back end of the body; they spin silk to make cocoons for eggs or traps for prey
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
strayverbUS /streɪ/
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
stripsnounUS /strɪps/
plural of “strip” — a relatively long narrow piece of something
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
submergedadjectiveUS /səbˈmɜːrdʒd/
beneath the surface of the water
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
tanglenounUS /ˈtæŋɡəl/
a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
three-foot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last it was freed, a three-foot circular sheet of glass mounted on a framework of brass and wood.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At last it was freed, a three-foot circular sheet of glass mounted on a framework of brass and wood.
websnounUS /webz/
plural of “web” — an intricate network suggesting something that was formed by weaving or interweaving
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading Lee Renaud, spider webs draping his black hair and the dust of ages prickling at his nose, persisted in his efforts to clear this strange mechanism of its weight of junk.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading The circle of glass turned on an axis of wood which passed through its center, and attached to this was a series of cogwheels and a handle for cranking the whole affair--at considerable speed, it appeared.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There it stood--a great glass wheel, half submerged in the dusty clutter of an old outhouse filled with broken chairs, moth-eaten strips of carpet, and a tangle of ancient harness.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading At last it was freed, a three-foot circular sheet of glass mounted on a framework of brass and wood.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading Held against the wheel by slips of wood were pads of some kind of fur, now worn to a few stray hairs and bits of hide.
