used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
blacknessnounUS /ˈblæknəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
lacking funds
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading The sensation of falling ceased.
the first light of day
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
downwardadjectiveUS /ˈdaʊnwərd/
extending or moving from a higher to a lower place
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
Emily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading The sensation of falling ceased.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
Granville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
only a very short time before
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
hurtlingverbUS /ˈhɜːrtlɪŋ/
-ing form of “hurtle” — move with or as if with a rushing sound
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
lashverbUS /læʃ/
beat severely with a whip or rod
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
held up in the air
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
northeasterlyadjectiveUS /ˌnɔːrˈθiːstərli/
coming from the northeast
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
peaknounUS /piːk/
the most extreme possible amount or value
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
perceptibleadjectiveUS /pərˈseptəbəl/
capable of being perceived by the mind or senses
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
compacted by ironing
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
cut with a saw
From this reading Emily Granville, her eyes pressed against the blackness, saw it as from a mountain peak.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading The sensation of falling ceased.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
sightlessadjective
lacking sight
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
smotherverbUS /ˈsmʌðər/
envelop completely
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
snarlingverbUS /ˈsnɑːrlɪŋ/
-ing form of “snarl” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
spraynounUS /spreɪ/
a pesticide in suspension or solution; intended for spraying
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
stingingnounUS /ˈstɪŋɪŋ/
a kind of pain; something as sudden and painful as being stung
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
in a swift manner
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a hardly perceptible pause amid a stinging smother of spray and then came the sensation of being lifted--of rising swiftly.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
twistingnounUS /ˈtwɪstɪŋ/
the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Dawn suddenly broke upon a sea snarling under the lash of a heavy northeasterly.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The next instant she was hurtling, twisting downward through space, sightless; her breath stopped.
