used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
air-liner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
(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 Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
altitudesnounUS /ˈæltɪtuːdz/
plural of “altitude” — elevation especially above sea level or above the earth's surface
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
awryadjectiveUS /ərˈaɪ/
turned or twisted toward one side
From this reading Oddly awry she hung, driven slowly eastward by the wind.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
charredverbUS /tʃɑːrd/
inflected form of “char” — burn to charcoal
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
COASTSnounUS /koʊsts/
plural of “coast” — the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
crippledadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪpəld/
disabled in the feet or legs
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
driftingnounUS /ˈdrɪftɪŋ/
aimless wandering from place to place
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading Oddly awry she hung, driven slowly eastward by the wind.
droningnounUS /ˈdroʊnɪŋ/
an unchanging intonation
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
eastwardadjectiveUS /ˈiːstwərd/
moving toward the east
From this reading Oddly awry she hung, driven slowly eastward by the wind.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
gildedadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪldɪd/
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
only a very short time before
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
helicoptersnounUS /ˈhelɪkɑːptərz/
plural of “helicopter” — an aircraft without wings that obtains its lift from the rotation of overhead blades
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
HOSTILEadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːstəl/
characterized by enmity or ill will
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
ten 10s
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Oddly awry she hung, driven slowly eastward by the wind.
having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent or magnitude
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
loweringadjectiveUS /ˈloʊərɪŋ/
darkened by clouds
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
not in physical motion
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
OddlyadverbUS /ˈɑːdli/
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading Oddly awry she hung, driven slowly eastward by the wind.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
power-plant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
propellersnounUS /prəˈpelərz/
plural of “propeller” — a mechanical device that rotates to push against air or water
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
shaftsnounUS /ʃæfts/
plural of “shaft” — a line that forms the length of an arrow pointer
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
sidewaysadverbUS /ˈsaɪdweɪz/
with one side forward or to the front
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Oddly awry she hung, driven slowly eastward by the wind.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
spectaclenounUS /ˈspektəkəl/
something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight)
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
splendors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
starklyadverbUS /ˈstɑːrkli/
in a stark manner
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
stumpsnounUS /stʌmps/
plural of “stump” — the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Her propellers--some charred to mere stumps on their shafts--stood starkly motionless.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading HOSTILE COASTS An hour from that time, the air-liner was drifting sideways at low altitudes, hardly five hundred feet above the waves.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Oddly awry she hung, driven slowly eastward by the wind.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Her helicopters were droning with all the force that could be flung into them from the crippled power-plant.
wreckagenounUS /ˈrekədʒ/
the remaining parts of something that has been wrecked
From this reading A sad spectacle she made, her wreckage gilded by the infinite splendors of the sun now lowering toward the horizon.
