used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
at or in the front
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
Alan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
blottedverbUS /ˈblɑːtəd/
inflected form of “blot” — dry (ink) with blotting paper
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading In Olaf’s cabin Alan had listened to the folly of expecting to find Mary Standish.
without stop or interruption
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
downpournounUS /ˈdaʊnpɔːr/
a heavy rain
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
drippingnounUS /ˈdrɪpɪŋ/
a liquid (as water) that flows in drops (as from the eaves of house)
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
dyingadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪɪŋ/
in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
-ing form of “expect” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading In Olaf’s cabin Alan had listened to the folly of expecting to find Mary Standish.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading In Olaf’s cabin Alan had listened to the folly of expecting to find Mary Standish.
the trait of acting stupidly or rashly
From this reading In Olaf’s cabin Alan had listened to the folly of expecting to find Mary Standish.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
gargoylenounUS /ˈɡɑːrɡɔɪl/
a spout that terminates in a grotesquely carved figure of a person or animal
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
grumbledverbUS /ˈɡrʌmbəld/
past form of “grumble” — show one's unhappiness or critical attitude
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
hissingnounUS /ˈhɪsɪŋ/
a fricative sound (especially as an expression of disapproval)
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
impenetrableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpenətrəbəl/
not admitting of penetration or passage into or through
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
launchverbUS /lɔːntʃ/
set up or found
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading In Olaf’s cabin Alan had listened to the folly of expecting to find Mary Standish.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading In Olaf’s cabin Alan had listened to the folly of expecting to find Mary Standish.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
Norden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
Olaf's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
and nothing more
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
ragnounUS /ræɡ/
a small piece of cloth or paper
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
rubbernounUS /ˈrʌbər/
an elastic material obtained from the latex sap of trees (especially trees of the genera Hevea and Ficus) that can be vulcanized and finished into a variety of products
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
shootingnounUS /ˈʃuːtɪŋ/
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
slickernounUS /ˈslɪkər/
a macintosh made from cotton fabric treated with oil and pigment to make it waterproof
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
move hurridly
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
StandishnounUS /ˈstændɪʃ/
English colonist in America; leader of the Pilgrims in the early days of the Plymouth Colony (1584-1656)
From this reading In Olaf’s cabin Alan had listened to the folly of expecting to find Mary Standish.
streamsnounUS /striːmz/
plural of “stream” — a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
swiftnessnounUS /ˈswɪftnəs/
a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
move fast, noisily, and heavily
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In Olaf’s cabin Alan had listened to the folly of expecting to find Mary Standish.
torpedonounUS /tɔːrˈpiːdoʊ/
a professional killer who uses a gun
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
torrentialadjectiveUS /tɔːˈrenʃəl/
relating to or resulting from the action of a torrent
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
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 The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The town was blotted out, and fifty feet ahead of the hissing nose of the launch Alan could see only a gray wall.
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 Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading Water ran in streams from his rubber slicker, and Olaf’s great beard was dripping like a wet rag.
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading He was like a huge gargoyle at the wheel, and in the face of impenetrable gloom he opened speed until the _Norden_ was shooting with the swiftness of a torpedo through the sea.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The wind had died away, but the rain continued, torrential in its downpour, and the mountains grumbled with dying thunder.
