Chapter VII

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

anew

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

in the past

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

(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 But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Now I promise their lives to you, if you are faithful.

weapons considered collectively

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

plural of “ceiling” — the overhead upper surface of a covered space

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

a state of extreme confusion and disorder

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

the time of person's life when they are a child

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

a state of deep and often prolonged unconsciousness; usually the result of disease or injury

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

intentionally conceived

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

in a dim indistinct manner

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading "I have regretted doing this, O'Hara.

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

cover completely or make imperceptible

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

-ing form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

divisible by two

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

steadfast in affection or allegiance

From this reading Now I promise their lives to you, if you are faithful.

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

plural of “floor” — the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

the pure mathematics of points and lines and curves and surfaces

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "I have regretted doing this, O'Hara.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "I have regretted doing this, O'Hara.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

becoming greater or larger

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Now I promise their lives to you, if you are faithful.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

a particular point in time

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

for an instant or moment

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

in motion

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now I promise their lives to you, if you are faithful.

United States writer (1905-1970)

From this reading "I have regretted doing this, O'Hara.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

on one occasion

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

and nothing more

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

become less interesting or attractive

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

past form of “pervade” — spread or diffuse through

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

make a promise or commitment

From this reading Now I promise their lives to you, if you are faithful.

with speed

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

a slow or gradual disappearance

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

a polite refusal of an invitation

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

inflected form of “regret” — feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about

From this reading "I have regretted doing this, O'Hara.

past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

the speech act of making something evident

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

plural of “sens” — street names for marijuana

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

continuously varying

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

held in check with difficulty

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

pertaining to or involving or having the nature of space

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

the utterance of intelligible speech

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

happening unexpectedly

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Now I promise their lives to you, if you are faithful.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading "I have regretted doing this, O'Hara.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

under the level of the ground

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

having passed out of existence

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

distance travelled per unit time

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

a reeling sensation; a feeling that you are about to fall

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

precisely as stated

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading But the voice that pervaded the spatial geometry of the underground metropolis never stopped speaking to him, counseling him even as he lay in a coma, as if it were a dream voice, the voice of a god that was dimly remembered from a childhood revelation, and very slowly, as his senses returned to him and once more he could see the tangibles of metal and stone and his own flesh, he began to feel as if the voice spoke only to himself, O'Hara--as if those about him, later, could not hear it.

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 The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

the capital of the United States in the District of Columbia and a tourist mecca; George Washington commissioned Charles L'Enfant to lay out the city in 1791

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

in the company of; together with

From this reading The walls again are receding, as you see--" The walls were receding and the floor upon which O'Hara stood was rising and Nedra and the baby in her arms had vanished once more into that chaos of shifting walls and floors and ceilings, and again O'Hara was conscious of the rapidly increasing velocity with which he was moving through the space of Washington--conscious of it only momentarily, and then the black pall of vertigo smothered him.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Now I promise their lives to you, if you are faithful.

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading But if all the regrets of my life were to come back upon me suddenly, I should as surely drown in them as Nedra and your baby were drowning a moment ago.