used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
Agatha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
(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 For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
for the reason that
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
blazenounUS /bleɪz/
a strong flame that burns brightly
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
terminate
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
brilliancenounUS /ˈbrɪljəns/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
CanadanounUS /ˈkænədə/
a nation in northern North America; the French were the first Europeans to settle in mainland Canada
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
cloud-banks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
continuousadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəs/
continuing in time or space without interruption
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
crashverbUS /kræʃ/
fall or come down violently
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
dazzledadjectiveUS /ˈdæzəld/
having vision overcome temporarily by or as if by intense light
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
deafenedadjective
caused to hear poorly or not at all
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
echoesnounUS /ˈekoʊz/
plural of “echo” — the repetition of a sound resulting from reflection of the sound waves
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
opinion or judgment
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
glarenounUS /ɡler/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
meltedadjectiveUS /ˈmeltəd/
changed from a solid to a liquid state
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
overwhelmingadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmɪŋ/
so strong as to be irresistible
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
on the contrary
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
cut with a saw
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
in the near future
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
be standing; be upright
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
terrifyingadjectiveUS /ˈterəfaɪɪŋ/
causing extreme terror
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was rather a continuous stream of light than a flash, because it did not break off but, beginning overhead, ran far across the lake.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
tremendousadjectiveUS /trəˈmendəs/
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
unlikeadjectiveUS /ənˈlaɪk/
marked by dissimilarity
From this reading Lightning is common in Canada, but this had a terrifying brilliance unlike any that she had known.
having passed out of existence
From this reading For a second, Agatha saw black rocks and trees stand out against an overwhelming glare, and then they vanished and she saw nothing at all.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
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 BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading While her dazzled eyes recovered from the shock she was deafened by a crash that rolled among the cloud-banks in tremendous echoes, and before it died away another blaze leaped down.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading BEFORE THE WIND Soon after the island melted into the gloom, a flash of lightning leaped from the cloud and spread like a sheet of blue flame across the water.
