used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DROP FROM SPACE.
past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
aeroplanenoun
an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
battleshipnounUS /ˈbætəlʃɪp/
large and heavily armoured warship
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
buzzingadjectiveUS /ˈbʌzɪŋ/
noisy like the sound of a bee
From this reading Straight up it shot--the motor whirring and buzzing deafeningly.
curvenounUS /kɜːrv/
the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
deafeningly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Straight up it shot--the motor whirring and buzzing deafeningly.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
doomedadjectiveUS /duːmd/
marked for certain death
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
let fall to the ground
From this reading A DROP FROM SPACE.
drownedverbUS /draʊnd/
past form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
effectiveadjectiveUS /ɪˈfektɪv/
producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
divisible by two
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
at any time
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
fasteradverbUS /ˈfæstər/
more quickly
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A DROP FROM SPACE.
characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
and nothing more
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
a boy or man
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
motornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/
machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion
From this reading Straight up it shot--the motor whirring and buzzing deafeningly.
Ned's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
nervenounUS /nɜːrv/
any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
pontoonsnounUS /ˌpɑːnˈtuːnz/
plural of “pontoon” — (nautical) a floating structure (as a flat-bottomed boat) that serves as a dock or to support a bridge
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
recoververbUS /rɪˈkʌvər/
get or find back; recover the use of
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
move upward
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading Straight up it shot--the motor whirring and buzzing deafeningly.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading A DROP FROM SPACE.
successive (without a break)
From this reading Straight up it shot--the motor whirring and buzzing deafeningly.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading But even in that awful drop through space Ned's nerve did not desert him.
tipsnounUS /tɪps/
plural of “tip” — the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Straight up it shot--the motor whirring and buzzing deafeningly.
precisely as stated
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
whirringnounUS /ˈwɜːrɪŋ/
sound of something in rapid motion
From this reading Straight up it shot--the motor whirring and buzzing deafeningly.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading His brain worked faster, in the few seconds allowed it to do effective work, than it had ever acted before.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
wrecknounUS /rek/
something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
From this reading Just as it seemed to those on board the battleship that the lad was doomed--in the event of the pontoons not working--to be drowned in the wreck of the aeroplane, they were astonished to see it recover and rise, from the very wave tips, in a graceful curve.
