used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A cave-like smell and a rapidly, cooling air greeted them.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading A cave-like smell and a rapidly, cooling air greeted them.
Alan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading They were soon in almost complete darkness.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The steps had come to an end.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
cave-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A cave-like smell and a rapidly, cooling air greeted them.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The steps had come to an end.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading They were soon in almost complete darkness.
coolingnounUS /ˈkuːlɪŋ/
the process of becoming cooler; a falling temperature
From this reading A cave-like smell and a rapidly, cooling air greeted them.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading They were soon in almost complete darkness.
descendingadjectiveUS /dɪˈsendɪŋ/
coming down or downward
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The steps had come to an end.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
greetedverbUS /ˈɡriːtəd/
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading A cave-like smell and a rapidly, cooling air greeted them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
a particular point in time
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
narrowedadjectiveUS /ˈneroʊd/
reduced in size as by squeezing together
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
pitnounUS /pɪt/
A large hole in the ground, or an abyss of darkness and peril.
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
with speed
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
with speed
From this reading A cave-like smell and a rapidly, cooling air greeted them.
ribbonnounUS /ˈrɪbən/
any long object resembling a thin line
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading A cave-like smell and a rapidly, cooling air greeted them.
in the near future
From this reading They were soon in almost complete darkness.
sprungverbUS /sprʌŋ/
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading The steps had come to an end.
place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A cave-like smell and a rapidly, cooling air greeted them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were soon in almost complete darkness.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
TURQUOISEnounUS /ˈtɜːrkwɔɪz/
a blue to grey green mineral consisting of copper aluminum phosphate
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were soon in almost complete darkness.
at the time that
From this reading When the walls had narrowed to but a few feet, a thin ribbon of blue sky was all that could be seen above.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE TURQUOISE TEMPLE DISCOVERED In another moment he had sprung forward and was quickly descending into the narrow, dark pit, with Alan close behind.
