used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
airplanenounUS /ˈerpleɪn/
an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
bewildermentnounUS /bɪˈwɪldərmənt/
confusion resulting from failure to understand
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
brassnounUS /bræs/
an alloy of copper and zinc
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
clothing in general
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He rubbed his smooth-shaven face in thought.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
glidingnounUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of flying a glider
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
highest in quality
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
hesitancynounUS /ˈhezɪtənsi/
a feeling of diffidence and indecision about doing something
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
high-pitchedadjective
used of sounds and voices; high in pitch or frequency
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He rubbed his smooth-shaven face in thought.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
indicativeadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdɪkətɪv/
relating to the mood of verbs that is used simple in declarative statements
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
insewn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
linennounUS /ˈlɪnən/
a fabric woven with fibers from the flax plant
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
monotonousadjectiveUS /məˈnɑːtənəs/
tediously repetitious or lacking in variety
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
not in physical motion
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
nasaladjectiveUS /ˈneɪzəl/
of or in or relating to the nose
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
noiselesslyadverb
without a sound
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
poisedadjectiveUS /pɔɪzd/
marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
on the contrary
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
rubbedverbUS /rʌbd/
inflected form of “rub” — move over something with pressure
From this reading He rubbed his smooth-shaven face in thought.
cut with a saw
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
smooth-shavenadjectiveUS /ˌsmuːθˈʃeɪvən/
closely shaved recently
From this reading He rubbed his smooth-shaven face in thought.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
swanverbUS /swɑːn/
to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
possessing sweep
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He rubbed his smooth-shaven face in thought.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
verticallyadverbUS /ˈvɜːrtɪkli/
in a vertical direction
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
in or at the place that
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
Where's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
a Caucasian
From this reading There stepped out a man in a uniform of pale blue, having insewn upon the breast a piece of white linen, cut to the shape of a swan.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He came toward me with hesitancy, and stood over me, staring at me and at my clothes with an expression indicative of the greatest bewilderment.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading THE ROAD TO LONDON A shadow swept over me, and, looking up, I saw an airplane gliding noiselessly above; it stopped, hung poised and motionless, and then dropped slowly and almost vertically into the road, coming to ground within a dozen yards of where I lay.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Where’s your brass, friend?” he inquired after a few moments, speaking in a high-pitched, monotonous, and rather nasal tone.
