used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The air temperature had dropped from eighty degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing point.
amalgamnounUS /əˈmælɡəm/
an alloy of mercury with another metal (usually silver) used by dentists to fill cavities in teeth; except for iron and platinum all metals dissolve in mercury and chemists refer to the resulting mercury mixtures as amalgams
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
from appearances alone
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
BarthnounUS /bɑːrθ/
Swiss Protestant theologian (1886-1968)
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The air temperature had dropped from eighty degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing point.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
plural of “degree” — a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading The air temperature had dropped from eighty degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing point.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading The air temperature had dropped from eighty degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing point.
earlier in time; previously
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
eightyadjectiveUS /ˈeɪti/
being ten more than seventy
From this reading The air temperature had dropped from eighty degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing point.
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
FahrenheitnounUS /ˈferənhaɪt/
German physicist who invented the mercury thermometer and developed the scale of temperature that bears his name (1686-1736)
From this reading The air temperature had dropped from eighty degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing point.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
footholdnounUS /ˈfʊthoʊld/
an area in hostile territory that has been captured and is held awaiting further troops and supplies
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
freezingnounUS /ˈfriːzɪŋ/
the withdrawal of heat to change something from a liquid to a solid
From this reading The air temperature had dropped from eighty degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing point.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The air temperature had dropped from eighty degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing point.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
GLACIERnounUS /ˈɡleɪʃər/
a slowly moving mass of ice
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
glazedadjectiveUS /ɡleɪzd/
(used of eyes) lacking liveliness
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
guidesnounUS /ɡaɪdz/
plural of “guide” — someone employed to conduct others
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The air temperature had dropped from eighty degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing point.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
(Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
engage in
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading The air temperature had dropped from eighty degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing point.
the body of people in a learned occupation
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
seracs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
skilledadjectiveUS /skɪld/
having or showing or requiring special skill
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
sleetnounUS /sliːt/
partially melted snow (or a mixture of rain and snow)
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
SpencernounUS /ˈspensər/
English philosopher and sociologist who applied the theory of natural selection to human societies (1820-1903)
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
subjectingverbUS /səbˈdʒektɪŋ/
-ing form of “subject” — cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
technic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
temperaturenounUS /ˈtemprətʃər/
the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment (corresponding to its molecular activity)
From this reading The air temperature had dropped from eighty degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing point.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading But he was skilled in the technic of his profession, and did not make the mistake now of subjecting Helen or Spencer to the risk of an ugly fall.
unscalableadjective
incapable of being ascended
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
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 Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ON THE GLACIER Barth, a good man on ice and rock, was not a genius among guides.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Rocks that gave safe foothold an hour earlier were now glazed with an amalgam of sleet and snow.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Faced by an apparently unscalable rock wall, or lost in a wilderness of seracs, he would never guess the one way that led to success.
