used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
altarnounUS /ˈɔːltər/
the table in Christian churches where communion is given
From this reading For no longer a withered brown thing lay on the altar.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading The jewel shimmered on the full, arching breast of a naked, living man who lay among the moldering bandages.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
archingadjectiveUS /ˈɑːrtʃɪŋ/
forming or resembling an arch
From this reading The jewel shimmered on the full, arching breast of a naked, living man who lay among the moldering bandages.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
bandagesnounUS /ˈbændədʒəz/
plural of “bandage” — a piece of soft material that covers and protects an injured part of the body
From this reading The jewel shimmered on the full, arching breast of a naked, living man who lay among the moldering bandages.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading The jewel shimmered on the full, arching breast of a naked, living man who lay among the moldering bandages.
bristlingverbUS /ˈbrɪsəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “bristle” — be in a state of movement or action
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading For no longer a withered brown thing lay on the altar.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
Conan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
Conan's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
congealing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
dartverbUS /dɑːrt/
move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
flickerverbUS /ˈflɪkər/
move back and forth very rapidly
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For no longer a withered brown thing lay on the altar.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The jewel shimmered on the full, arching breast of a naked, living man who lay among the moldering bandages.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
halvesnounUS /hævz/
plural of “half” — one of two equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
icilyadverbUS /ˈaɪsɪli/
in a cold and icy manner
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
jetnounUS /dʒet/
an airplane powered by one or more jet engines
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
jewelnounUS /ˈdʒuːəl/
a precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
Khitan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading For no longer a withered brown thing lay on the altar.
lickedadjectiveUS /lɪkt/
having been got the better of
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading The jewel shimmered on the full, arching breast of a naked, living man who lay among the moldering bandages.
for more time
From this reading For no longer a withered brown thing lay on the altar.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The jewel shimmered on the full, arching breast of a naked, living man who lay among the moldering bandages.
moldering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The jewel shimmered on the full, arching breast of a naked, living man who lay among the moldering bandages.
nakedadjectiveUS /ˈneɪkəd/
completely unclothed
From this reading The jewel shimmered on the full, arching breast of a naked, living man who lay among the moldering bandages.
not any; not one
From this reading For no longer a withered brown thing lay on the altar.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For no longer a withered brown thing lay on the altar.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
quickeradverbUS /ˈkwɪkər/
more quickly
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
shimmeredverbUS /ˈʃɪmərd/
past form of “shimmer” — shine with a weak or fitful light
From this reading The jewel shimmered on the full, arching breast of a naked, living man who lay among the moldering bandages.
shrankverbUS /ʃræŋk/
inflected form of “shrink” — wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
slashverbUS /slæʃ/
cut with sweeping strokes; as with an ax or machete
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
staffnounUS /stæf/
personnel who assist their superior in carrying out an assigned task
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
a special situation
From this reading For no longer a withered brown thing lay on the altar.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
vipernounUS /ˈvaɪpər/
venomous Old World snakes characterized by hollow venom-conducting fangs in the upper jaw
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The staff licked out like the dart of a viper, but the slash of Conan's knife was quicker.
wheeledadjectiveUS /wiːld/
having wheels; often used in combination
From this reading Conan wheeled and extended his hand toward the jewel--then he shrank back, his hair bristling, his blood congealing icily.
which person or people
From this reading The jewel shimmered on the full, arching breast of a naked, living man who lay among the moldering bandages.
witheredadjectiveUS /ˈwɪðərd/
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading For no longer a withered brown thing lay on the altar.
writhingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪðɪŋ/
moving in a twisting or snake-like or wormlike fashion
From this reading The staff fell in writhing halves, there was another flicker of the keen steel like a jet of lightning, and the head of the Khitan rolled to the floor.
