used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The beam of light from the small aperture moved visibly across the opposite wall.
(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 The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
aperturenounUS /ˈæpərtʃər/
a device that controls amount of light admitted
From this reading The beam of light from the small aperture moved visibly across the opposite wall.
arbitrarilyadverbUS /ˈɑːrbɪtrerəli/
in a random manner
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
beamnounUS /biːm/
a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading The beam of light from the small aperture moved visibly across the opposite wall.
Bellaver's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
blinkingadjectiveUS /ˈblɪŋkɪŋ/
closing the eyes intermittently and rapidly
From this reading Hyrst watched it, blinking.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
catafalquenoun
a decorated bier on which a coffin rests in state during a funeral
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
crescentnounUS /ˈkresənt/
any shape resembling the curved shape of the moon in its first or last quarters
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
eternitynounUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/
time without end
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The beam of light from the small aperture moved visibly across the opposite wall.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
Hyrst
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hyrst watched it, blinking.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Hyrst watched it, blinking.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The beam of light from the small aperture moved visibly across the opposite wall.
measuredadjectiveUS /ˈmeʒərd/
having notes of fixed rhythmic value
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
the force of workers available
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The beam of light from the small aperture moved visibly across the opposite wall.
not any; not one
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading The beam of light from the small aperture moved visibly across the opposite wall.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
planetnounUS /ˈplænət/
(astronomy) any of the nine large celestial bodies in the solar system that revolve around the sun and shine by reflected light
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
relevancenounUS /ˈreləvəns/
the relation of something to the matter at hand
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
sectionsnounUS /ˈsekʃənz/
plural of “section” — a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical)
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
slidverbUS /slɪd/
inflected form of “slide” — move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The beam of light from the small aperture moved visibly across the opposite wall.
standardsnounUS /ˈstændərdz/
plural of “standard” — a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They waited.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
very small
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
visiblyadverbUS /ˈvɪzəbli/
in a visible manner
From this reading The beam of light from the small aperture moved visibly across the opposite wall.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading They waited.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading The beam of light from the small aperture moved visibly across the opposite wall.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Hyrst watched it, blinking.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
whirlingnounUS /ˈwɜːrlɪŋ/
the act of rotating in a circle or spiral
From this reading The minutes slid past, sections of eternity arbitrarily measured by the standards of another planet and having no relevance at all on this tiny whirling rock.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Outside, Bellaver's men were drawn up in a wide crescent across the hill in front of the catafalque.
