used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Look at that!” exclaimed Thorndyke, pointing down into the depths, “what can that be?”
round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Look at that!” exclaimed Thorndyke, pointing down into the depths, “what can that be?”
the lower side of anything
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “Look at that!” exclaimed Thorndyke, pointing down into the depths, “what can that be?”
rid of obstructions
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
cometnounUS /ˈkɑːmət/
(astronomy) a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
(plural) the deepest and most remote part
From this reading “Look at that!” exclaimed Thorndyke, pointing down into the depths, “what can that be?”
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading “Look at that!” exclaimed Thorndyke, pointing down into the depths, “what can that be?”
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading “Look at that!” exclaimed Thorndyke, pointing down into the depths, “what can that be?”
opinion or judgment
From this reading Johnston followed Thorndyke's finger with his eyes.
feel or handle with the fingers
From this reading Johnston followed Thorndyke's finger with his eyes.
start firing a weapon
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Johnston followed Thorndyke's finger with his eyes.
-ing form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Johnston followed Thorndyke's finger with his eyes.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “Look at that!” exclaimed Thorndyke, pointing down into the depths, “what can that be?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
JohnstonnounUS /ˈdʒɑːnstən/
Confederate general in the American Civil War; led the Confederate troops in the West (1807-1891)
From this reading Johnston followed Thorndyke's finger with his eyes.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading “Look at that!” exclaimed Thorndyke, pointing down into the depths, “what can that be?”
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
mirrornounUS /ˈmɪrər/
polished surface that forms images by reflecting light
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
in motion
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
-ing form of “point” — indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively
From this reading “Look at that!” exclaimed Thorndyke, pointing down into the depths, “what can that be?”
(especially of incident sound or light) bent or sent back
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
uttered with a trill
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
cut with a saw
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
not in physical motion
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
Thorndyke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Look at that!” exclaimed Thorndyke, pointing down into the depths, “what can that be?”
Thorndyke's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnston followed Thorndyke's finger with his eyes.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading At first he thought that it was a comet moving across the sky and reflected in the water; but, on glancing above, he saw his mistake.
be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading It looked, at first, like a great ball of fire rolling along the bottom of the lake with a stream of flame in its wake.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The water was so clear and still that the moon and stars were reflected in it as if in a great mirror.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “Look at that!” exclaimed Thorndyke, pointing down into the depths, “what can that be?”
in the company of; together with
From this reading Johnston followed Thorndyke's finger with his eyes.
