used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
BelowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
BurlnounUS /bɜːrl/
the wood cut from a tree burl or outgrowth; often used decoratively in veneer
From this reading "No tides have ever moved these waters," commented Russ quietly to Burl.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The water was still, occasionally stirred by a slight wave.
rid of obstructions
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
commentedverbUS /ˈkɑːmentəd/
past form of “comment” — make or write a comment on
From this reading "No tides have ever moved these waters," commented Russ quietly to Burl.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
at any time
From this reading "No tides have ever moved these waters," commented Russ quietly to Burl.
expansenounUS /ɪkˈspæns/
a wide scope
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
fadingnounUS /ˈfeɪdɪŋ/
weakening in force or intensity
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
fognounUS /fɑːɡ/
droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "No tides have ever moved these waters," commented Russ quietly to Burl.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
horizonsnounUS /hərˈaɪzənz/
plural of “horizon” — the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
MagellannounUS /məˈdʒelən/
Portuguese navigator in the service of Spain; he commanded an expedition that was the first to circumnavigate the world (1480-1521)
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
the force of workers available
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
moisturenounUS /ˈmɔɪstʃər/
wetness caused by water
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
mottledadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːtəld/
having spots or patches of color
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading "No tides have ever moved these waters," commented Russ quietly to Burl.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
not any; not one
From this reading "No tides have ever moved these waters," commented Russ quietly to Burl.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
sporadically and infrequently
From this reading The water was still, occasionally stirred by a slight wave.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
precedesverbUS /prɪˈsiːdz/
third-person singular of “precede” — be earlier in time; go back further
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
with low volume
From this reading "No tides have ever moved these waters," commented Russ quietly to Burl.
on the contrary
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
reflectingadjectiveUS /rɪˈflektɪŋ/
causing reflection or having a device that reflects
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
RussnounUS /rʌs/
plural of “rus” — the medieval Russian state established by Scandinavian traders in the 9th century; the capital was first in Novgorod and then in Kiev
From this reading "No tides have ever moved these waters," commented Russ quietly to Burl.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading The water was still, occasionally stirred by a slight wave.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
not in physical motion
From this reading The water was still, occasionally stirred by a slight wave.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The water was still, occasionally stirred by a slight wave.
produced or marked by conscious design or premeditation
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "No tides have ever moved these waters," commented Russ quietly to Burl.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
tidesnounUS /taɪdz/
plural of “tide” — the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading "No tides have ever moved these waters," commented Russ quietly to Burl.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
vergingverbUS /ˈvɜːrdʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “verge” — border on; come close to
From this reading Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
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 Below them lay a mottled expanse of water, reflecting the gray sky, and verging almost to a deep brown.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading "No tides have ever moved these waters," commented Russ quietly to Burl.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading The water was still, occasionally stirred by a slight wave.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The air was not the clear air of Earth; rather, it was the kind that precedes the coming of a fog, thick, heavy with moisture, the horizons fading into gray.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading The _Magellan_ hung in the air while the men studied the surface of this world that had so long been a mystery.
