used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
(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 For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
ancestraladjectiveUS /ænˈsestrəl/
inherited or inheritable by established rules (usually legal rules) of descent
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
past form of “approach” — move towards
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But never had he seen such creatures as confronted him now.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
bat-winged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
placed in a grave
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But never had he seen such creatures as confronted him now.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
confrontedverbUS /kənˈfrʌntəd/
past form of “confront” — oppose, as in hostility or a competition
From this reading But never had he seen such creatures as confronted him now.
cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
craternounUS /ˈkreɪtər/
a bowl-shaped geological formation at the top of a volcano
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading But never had he seen such creatures as confronted him now.
demonsnounUS /ˈdiːmənz/
plural of “demon” — an evil supernatural being
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
devilsnounUS /ˈdevəlz/
plural of “devil” — (Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
without deviation
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
opinion or judgment
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
freighternounUS /ˈfreɪtər/
a cargo ship
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
gnomesnounUS /noʊmz/
plural of “gnome” — a legendary creature resembling a tiny old man; lives in the depths of the earth and guards buried treasure
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
any place of pain and turmoil
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
HerculesnounUS /ˈhɜːrkjəliːz/
(classical mythology) a hero noted for his strength; performed 12 immense labors to gain immortality
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But never had he seen such creatures as confronted him now.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
horridadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːrəd/
exceedingly bad
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
intense and profound fear
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
inheritedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈherətɪd/
occurring among members of a family usually by heredity
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
located inward
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
Intercolonial
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
InvestigatesverbUS /ˌɪnˈvestəɡeɪts/
third-person singular of “investigate” — investigate scientifically
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
people of Ireland or of Irish extraction
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
jaggedadjectiveUS /ˈdʒæɡəd/
having a sharply uneven surface or outline
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
lavanounUS /ˈlɑːvə/
rock that in its molten form (as magma) issues from volcanos; lava is what magma is called when it reaches the surface
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
leathernounUS /ˈleðər/
an animal skin made smooth and flexible by removing the hair and then tanning
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
a particular point in time
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading But never had he seen such creatures as confronted him now.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But never had he seen such creatures as confronted him now.
O'Malley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
O'Malley's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
not divisible by two
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
pilotingnounUS /ˈpaɪlətɪŋ/
the guidance of ships or airplanes from place to place
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
pixies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
purgatorynounUS /ˈpɜːrɡətɔːri/
a temporary condition of torment or suffering
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
relaxationnounUS /ˌriːlækˈseɪʃən/
(physiology) the gradual lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle fibers
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
ridgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
ShelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/
protected from danger or bad weather
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
sightsnounUS /saɪts/
an optical instrument for aiding the eye in aiming, as on a firearm or surveying instrument
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
spewedverbUS /spjuːd/
past form of “spew” — expel or eject (saliva or phlegm or sputum) from the mouth
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
SpudnounUS /spʌd/
an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading But never had he seen such creatures as confronted him now.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
having come into contact
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
trailingnounUS /ˈtreɪlɪŋ/
the pursuit (of a person or animal) by following tracks or marks they left behind
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
twinklingnounUS /ˈtwɪŋkəlɪŋ/
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
volcanicadjectiveUS /vɑːlˈkænɪk/
relating to or produced by or consisting of volcanoes
From this reading Sheltered behind a jagged ridge of volcanic rock in the inner crater of the great ring of Hercules, he stared in utter horror at the figures that approached.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading And, coming directly toward him across a level lava bed, three of the things, with leather wings trailing, were approaching.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading For to Spud, with all his inherited ancestral faith in gnomes and pixies, these bat-winged things were nothing less than people of the under world--demons from some purgatory of the Moon--devils, living and breathing, spewed out from that buried hell for a moment of relaxation from their horrid work.
a late time of life
From this reading _O'Malley Investigates_ Spud O'Malley's twinkling Irish eyes had seen strange sights in his years of piloting an Intercolonial freighter; he had touched at odd corners of the Earth.
