used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading The roof of the cave was red and brown with the iron in the rock.
a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
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 He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
clambering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
diminishingadjectiveUS /dɪˈmɪnɪʃɪŋ/
becoming smaller or less or appearing to do so
From this reading He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
dropsnounUS /drɑːps/
plural of “drop” — a shape that is spherical and small
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
footholdnounUS /ˈfʊthoʊld/
an area in hostile territory that has been captured and is held awaiting further troops and supplies
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
glancesnounUS /ˈɡlænsɪz/
plural of “glance” — a quick look
From this reading He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
glistenedverbUS /ˈɡlɪsənd/
past form of “glisten” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
ten 10s
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
ice-coldadjective
as cold as ice
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading The roof of the cave was red and brown with the iron in the rock.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
poolsnounUS /puːlz/
plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading The roof of the cave was red and brown with the iron in the rock.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The roof of the cave was red and brown with the iron in the rock.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading The roof of the cave was red and brown with the iron in the rock.
sea-whispers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
shuttingnounUS /ˈʃʌtɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
straitnounUS /streɪt/
a narrow channel of the sea joining two larger bodies of water
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
tidesnounUS /taɪdz/
plural of “tide” — the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
tracksnounUS /træks/
plural of “track” — a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
twilightnounUS /ˈtwaɪlaɪt/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The roof of the cave was red and brown with the iron in the rock.
wherein
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man followed the strait tracks into the cave, into twilight, clambering over ice-cold rocks, and shining a light on the pools wherein drops glistened and struck loud in the stillness.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He moved slowly, with glances over his shoulder at the diminishing circle of daylight.
wobbledverbUS /ˈwɑːbəld/
past form of “wobble” — move unsteadily
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading Sometimes his foothold wobbled on a stone that in the motion of tides had worn a cup for itself.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading A hundred yards from its mouth the cave turned to the left, shutting darkness and sea-whispers together.
