used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
AlienadjectiveUS /ˈeɪliən/
not contained in or deriving from the essential nature of something
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading There was a hiss of scorched leaves, and the piping of a small, trapped animal.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
bendverbUS /bend/
form a curve
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
breathlesslyadverbUS /ˈbreθləsli/
in a breathless manner
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
contactnounUS /ˈkɑːntækt/
close interaction
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
delicatelyadverbUS /ˈdeləkətli/
in a delicate manner
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
in a gradual manner
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
advanced in complexity or elaboration
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
hissverbUS /hɪs/
make a sharp hissing sound, as if to show disapproval
From this reading There was a hiss of scorched leaves, and the piping of a small, trapped animal.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
howledverbUS /haʊld/
past form of “howl” — emit long loud cries
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading There was a hiss of scorched leaves, and the piping of a small, trapped animal.
lengthenedadjectiveUS /ˈleŋθənd/
drawn out or made longer spatially
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
mournfullyadverb
in a mournful manner
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
networknounUS /ˈnetwɜːrk/
an interconnected system of things or people
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/
being on the outside or further from a center
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
overlookedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊvərlʊkt/
not taken into account
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
pipingnounUS /ˈpaɪpɪŋ/
a thin strip of covered cord used to edge hems
From this reading There was a hiss of scorched leaves, and the piping of a small, trapped animal.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
rustlingnounUS /ˈrʌslɪŋ/
the stealing of cattle
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
scorchedadjectiveUS /skɔːrtʃt/
Burned by flames or heat; blackened by intense magical or physical fire.
From this reading There was a hiss of scorched leaves, and the piping of a small, trapped animal.
scrubverbUS /skrʌb/
clean with hard rubbing
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
transport commercially
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Then there was silence.
without speaking
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
skimmedadjectiveUS /skɪmd/
used of milk and milk products from which the cream has been removed
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was a hiss of scorched leaves, and the piping of a small, trapped animal.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
sparknounUS /spɑːrk/
a momentary flash of light
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
the rays of the sun
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
telepathicadjectiveUS /ˌteləˈpæθək/
communicating without apparent physical signals
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then there was silence.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a hiss of scorched leaves, and the piping of a small, trapped animal.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Far across the hills a dog howled mournfully; night birds made small rustling sounds through the scrub and underbrush.
trappedadjectiveUS /træpt/
forced to turn and face attackers
From this reading There was a hiss of scorched leaves, and the piping of a small, trapped animal.
tunedverbUS /tuːnd/
past form of “tune” — adjust for (better) functioning
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
underbrushnounUS /ˈʌndərbrʌʃ/
the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
not known
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
unpredictableadjectiveUS /ˌʌnprɪˈdɪktəbəl/
not capable of being foretold
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Higher up, the sunlight was bright over the horizon; here the shadows had lengthened and it was quite dark.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading _An invisible network of human minds lay across the country, delicately tuned, waiting breathlessly for the first spark of contact from the unknown ... from the unpredictable telepathic Alien._ The ship skimmed down like a shadow from the outer atmosphere and settled gently and silently in the tangled underbrush of the hill that overlooked the bend in the broad river.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a hiss of scorched leaves, and the piping of a small, trapped animal.
