used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
attainedadjectiveUS /əˈteɪnd/
achieved or reached
From this reading Neville attained his twenty-eighth year in March.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/
(of a surface) not written or printed on
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
deepeningnounUS /ˈdiːpənɪŋ/
a process of becoming deeper and more profound
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
(plural) the deepest and most remote part
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
dividingverbUS /dɪˈvaɪdɪŋ/
-ing form of “divide” — separate into parts or portions
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
eternitynounUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/
time without end
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
FebruarynounUS /ˈfebjəweri/
the month following January and preceding March
From this reading Valerie West was twenty-two years old in February.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
yet to be or coming
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Neville attained his twenty-eighth year in March.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
immeasurableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmeʒəræbəl/
impossible to measure
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Valerie West was twenty-two years old in February.
infinitynounUS /ˌɪnˈfɪnɪti/
time without end
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
immediately past
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
march in a procession
From this reading Neville attained his twenty-eighth year in March.
menacingadjectiveUS /ˈmenəsɪŋ/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
Neville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neville attained his twenty-eighth year in March.
noondaynoun
the middle of the day
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Valerie West was twenty-two years old in February.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
and nothing more
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
phantomnounUS /ˈfæn.təm/
A ghost or apparition; a figment of the imagination or a hidden dweller.
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
with speed
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
shallows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
shoalnoun
a sandbank in a stretch of water that is visible at low tide
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
not in physical motion
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
sunlitadjectiveUS /ˈsʌnlɪt/
lighted by sunlight
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
sunsnounUS /sʌnz/
plural of “sun” — the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
in a swift manner
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
to-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only immeasurable and menacing depths remained between him and the horizon--that pale, dead line dividing the noonday of to-day from the phantom suns of blank eternity.
twenty-eighthadjective
coming next after the twenty-seventh in position
From this reading Neville attained his twenty-eighth year in March.
twenty-twonounUS /ˈtwentituː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of twenty-one and one
From this reading Valerie West was twenty-two years old in February.
Valerie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Valerie West was twenty-two years old in February.
wadedverbUS /ˈweɪdɪd/
past form of “wade” — walk (through relatively shallow water)
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Valerie West was twenty-two years old in February.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Years still lay before him, a few lay behind him; but in a single month he had waded so swiftly forward through the sea of life that the shallows were already passed, the last shoal was deepening rapidly.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading Valerie West was twenty-two years old in February.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading One year of life lay behind her; her future stretched away into sunlit infinity.
a late time of life
From this reading Valerie West was twenty-two years old in February.
