used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
using the voice; not silently
From this reading Vernon was talking aloud.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He quivered inwardly with a chill vertigo, and turned away.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
BeltnounUS /belt/
endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
blister-window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading He quivered inwardly with a chill vertigo, and turned away.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
driftverbUS /drɪft/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
opinion or judgment
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
firefliesnounUS /ˈfaɪərflaɪz/
plural of “firefly” — tropical American click beetle having bright luminous spots
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
incrediblyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈkredəbli/
not easy to believe
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
intenselyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtensli/
to a high degree; extremely; in high concentration or density
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
inwardlyadverbUS /ˈɪnwərdli/
with respect to private feelings
From this reading He quivered inwardly with a chill vertigo, and turned away.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
many-colored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
quivered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He quivered inwardly with a chill vertigo, and turned away.
relativenounUS /ˈrelətɪv/
a person related by blood or marriage
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
cut with a saw
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
having great beauty and splendor
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
having a supporting base
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
swarmingverbUS /ˈswɔːrmɪŋ/
-ing form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading Vernon was talking aloud.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading He quivered inwardly with a chill vertigo, and turned away.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
unseeingadjective
not consciously observing
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
Vernon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Vernon was talking aloud.
vertigonounUS /ˈvɜːrtɪɡoʊ/
a reeling sensation; a feeling that you are about to fall
From this reading He quivered inwardly with a chill vertigo, and turned away.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
in or at the place that
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading He looked down--down being relative to where he was standing in the blister-window--and saw the whole Belt swarming by under him like a drift of fireflies.
in the company of; together with
From this reading All space was before him, hung with the many-colored lights of the stars, intensely brilliant in the black nothing.
a late time of life
From this reading It was incredibly splendid, but it was too much like what he had looked at with his cold unseeing eyes for fifty years.
