used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
at or in the front
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
altitudenounUS /ˈæltətuːd/
elevation especially above sea level or above the earth's surface
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Don't go off at half-cock that way," he remonstrated.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Then he cut the gun and let the glide begin, so that the Dart was quietly nose-low in a gentle glide.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
Chick'snounUS /tʃɪks/
possessive form of “chick” — young bird especially of domestic fowl
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
climbingnounUS /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/
an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Then he cut the gun and let the glide begin, so that the Dart was quietly nose-low in a gentle glide.
DartverbUS /dɑːrt/
move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading Then he cut the gun and let the glide begin, so that the Dart was quietly nose-low in a gentle glide.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
divenounUS /daɪv/
a cheap disreputable nightclub or dance hall
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
a Spanish gentleman or nobleman
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
Don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Don't go off at half-cock that way," he remonstrated.
drownedverbUS /draʊnd/
past form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
past form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
Garry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading Then he cut the gun and let the glide begin, so that the Dart was quietly nose-low in a gentle glide.
the act of giving
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
glideverbUS /ɡlaɪd/
move smoothly and effortlessly
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Don't go off at half-cock that way," he remonstrated.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Then he cut the gun and let the glide begin, so that the Dart was quietly nose-low in a gentle glide.
gunnedverbUS /ɡʌnd/
inflected form of “gun” — shoot with a gun
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
half-cocknounUS /ˈhæfkɑːk/
confusion resulting from lack of preparation
From this reading "Don't go off at half-cock that way," he remonstrated.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
not any; not one
From this reading "No!"
nose-low
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he cut the gun and let the glide begin, so that the Dart was quietly nose-low in a gentle glide.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "Don't go off at half-cock that way," he remonstrated.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
pilotverbUS /ˈpaɪlət/
operate an airplane
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
with low volume
From this reading Then he cut the gun and let the glide begin, so that the Dart was quietly nose-low in a gentle glide.
radialadjectiveUS /ˈreɪdiəl/
relating to or near the radius
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
remonstrated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Don't go off at half-cock that way," he remonstrated.
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
shrilladjectiveUS /ʃrɪl/
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Then he cut the gun and let the glide begin, so that the Dart was quietly nose-low in a gentle glide.
SPECTREnounUS /ˈspektər/
a ghostly appearing figure
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
put, fix, force, or implant
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Then he cut the gun and let the glide begin, so that the Dart was quietly nose-low in a gentle glide.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he cut the gun and let the glide begin, so that the Dart was quietly nose-low in a gentle glide.
in or at that place or location
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
a subdivision of a particular kind of thing
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Then he cut the gun and let the glide begin, so that the Dart was quietly nose-low in a gentle glide.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "Don't go off at half-cock that way," he remonstrated.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE SPECTRE IN THE CLOUD "There it is!----" Chick's voice, shrill with terror, died away, and Don, startled for an instant, almost let the glide become a dive; but he caught his stick and gunned ahead, giving up the glide they had been in.
youthfuladjectiveUS /ˈjuːθfəl/
suggestive of youth; vigorous and fresh
From this reading The radial engine, though of as silent a type as any, drowned any reply from Garry or Don until the youthful pilot, climbing, had gained a good thousand feet more of altitude.
