used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
how long something has existed
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
from appearances alone
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
inflected form of “behold” — see with attention
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
BoomverbUS /buːm/
make a resonant sound, like artillery
From this reading Boom!
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
chainedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪnd/
bound with chains
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading What on earth could have happened?
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading What on earth could have happened?
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
explosionnounUS /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
opinion or judgment
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
galvanizeverbUS /ˈɡælvənaɪz/
to stimulate to action
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
GrammarnounUS /ˈɡræmər/
the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics)
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading What on earth could have happened?
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading What on earth could have happened?
intense and profound fear
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
lesseradjectiveUS /ˈlesər/
of less size or importance
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading What on earth could have happened?
an educational institution
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
secondsnounUS /ˈsekəndz/
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
in or at that place or location
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
VANISHINGnounUS /ˈvænɪʃɪŋ/
a sudden or mysterious disappearance
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What on earth could have happened?
which person or people
From this reading They stared at the man, apparently of middle age, who lay there, and they beheld the blood.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE VANISHING MAN For the first few seconds the Grammar School boys stood as if chained to the ground, their eyes staring with alarm and horror.
but in spite of that
From this reading It was a lesser explosion that now sounded inside, yet it was enough to galvanize the boys into action.
