used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
activateverbUS /ˈæktəveɪt/
put in motion or move to act
From this reading Then memory circuits clicked over--circuits long unused, but needing only the right stimulus to activate them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Birrel had been close to death before, but never closer.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Birrel had been close to death before, but never closer.
Birrel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Birrel had been close to death before, but never closer.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
boomingadjectiveUS /ˈbuːmɪŋ/
very lively and profitable
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
cause to be bored
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Birrel had been close to death before, but never closer.
circuitsnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəts/
plural of “circuit” — an electrical device that provides a path for electrical current to flow
From this reading Then memory circuits clicked over--circuits long unused, but needing only the right stimulus to activate them.
clampedverbUS /klæmpt/
past form of “clamp” — fasten or fix with a clamp
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
clawedadjectiveUS /klɔːd/
having or resembling a claw or claws; often used as a combining form
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
clickedverbUS /klɪkt/
past form of “click” — move or strike with a noise
From this reading Then memory circuits clicked over--circuits long unused, but needing only the right stimulus to activate them.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Birrel had been close to death before, but never closer.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading Birrel had been close to death before, but never closer.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Birrel had been close to death before, but never closer.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
drownedverbUS /draʊnd/
past form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Birrel had been close to death before, but never closer.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
harshadjectiveUS /hɑːrʃ/
unpleasantly stern
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
the act of retaining something
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
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 Then memory circuits clicked over--circuits long unused, but needing only the right stimulus to activate them.
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading Then memory circuits clicked over--circuits long unused, but needing only the right stimulus to activate them.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
needingverbUS /ˈniːdɪŋ/
-ing form of “need” — require as useful, just, or proper
From this reading Then memory circuits clicked over--circuits long unused, but needing only the right stimulus to activate them.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Birrel had been close to death before, but never closer.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
and nothing more
From this reading Then memory circuits clicked over--circuits long unused, but needing only the right stimulus to activate them.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Then memory circuits clicked over--circuits long unused, but needing only the right stimulus to activate them.
shuttingnounUS /ˈʃʌtɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
slidingadjectiveUS /ˈslaɪdɪŋ/
being a smooth continuous motion
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
stimulusnounUS /ˈstɪmjələs/
any stimulating information or event; acts to arouse action
From this reading Then memory circuits clicked over--circuits long unused, but needing only the right stimulus to activate them.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Then memory circuits clicked over--circuits long unused, but needing only the right stimulus to activate them.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He heard quick harsh breathing, and then the booming of his own blood in his ears drowned it out.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Birrel had been close to death before, but never closer.
unusedadjectiveUS /əˈnjuːzd/
not yet used or soiled
From this reading Then memory circuits clicked over--circuits long unused, but needing only the right stimulus to activate them.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading Those hands clamped down, shutting off voice and breath, and the weight of a powerful body bore on him, holding him.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
wristsnounUS /rɪsts/
plural of “wrist” — a joint between the distal end of the radius and the proximal row of carpal bones
From this reading He clawed at the wrists that would not be moved, and felt the first cold edge of darkness sliding over him.
