used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE AFTERMATH OF AN ADVENTURE Diana awoke with a start.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
achedverbUS /eɪkt/
past form of “ache” — feel physical pain
From this reading She felt very stiff, and the arm on which she had been leaning ached horribly.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading THE AFTERMATH OF AN ADVENTURE Diana awoke with a start.
afreshadverbUS /əˈfreʃ/
again but in a new or different way
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
AFTERMATHnounUS /ˈæftərmæθ/
the consequences of an event (especially a catastrophic event)
From this reading THE AFTERMATH OF AN ADVENTURE Diana awoke with a start.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE AFTERMATH OF AN ADVENTURE Diana awoke with a start.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading She felt very stiff, and the arm on which she had been leaning ached horribly.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading THE AFTERMATH OF AN ADVENTURE Diana awoke with a start.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
billowverbUS /ˈbɪloʊ/
rise up as if in waves
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
lacking funds
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
creaming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
crestedadjectiveUS /ˈkrestɪd/
bearing an heraldic device
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
DiananounUS /daɪˈænə/
English aristocrat who was the first wife of Prince Charles; her death in an automobile accident in Paris produced intense national mourning (1961-1997)
From this reading THE AFTERMATH OF AN ADVENTURE Diana awoke with a start.
dreamilyadverb
in a dreamy manner
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
eddiesnounUS /ˈediz/
plural of “eddy” — founder of Christian Science in 1866 (1821-1910)
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
elbownounUS /ˈelboʊ/
hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading She felt very stiff, and the arm on which she had been leaning ached horribly.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
foamnounUS /foʊm/
a mass of small bubbles formed in or on a liquid
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
assemble or get together
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
in a gradual manner
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
horriblyadverbUS /ˈhɔːrəbli/
of a dreadful kind
From this reading She felt very stiff, and the arm on which she had been leaning ached horribly.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
hush-sh-sh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
long-drawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
lulledverbUS /lʌld/
past form of “lull” — calm by deception
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE AFTERMATH OF AN ADVENTURE Diana awoke with a start.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
and nothing more
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
overtakenverbUS /ˈoʊvərteɪkən/
inflected form of “overtake” — catch up with and possibly overtake
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
plopverbUS /plɑːp/
drop something with a plopping sound
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
proppedverbUS /prɑːpt/
inflected form of “prop” — support by placing against something solid or rigid
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
recededverbUS /rəˈsiːdɪd/
past form of “recede” — pull back or move away or backward
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
rhythmicadjectiveUS /ˈrɪðmɪk/
recurring with measured regularity
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
move upward
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
only a very short time before
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
shallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/
lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
sibilantnoun
a consonant characterized by a hissing sound (like s or sh)
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
slumbernounUS /ˈslʌmbər/
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading THE AFTERMATH OF AN ADVENTURE Diana awoke with a start.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading She felt very stiff, and the arm on which she had been leaning ached horribly.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE AFTERMATH OF AN ADVENTURE Diana awoke with a start.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Before sleep had overtaken her she had been lying on a shallow slope of sand, leaning against a rock, with her elbow resting on its flat surface and her book propped up in front of her.
precisely as stated
From this reading She felt very stiff, and the arm on which she had been leaning ached horribly.
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 Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading Gradually the rhythmic rise and fall of the waves on the shore had lulled her into slumber--the _plop_ as they broke in eddies of creaming foam, and then the sibilant _hush-sh-sh_--like a long-drawn sigh--as the water receded only to gather itself afresh into a crested billow.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She felt very stiff, and the arm on which she had been leaning ached horribly.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE AFTERMATH OF AN ADVENTURE Diana awoke with a start.
showing curiosity
From this reading Scarcely more than half awake she sat up and stared about her, dreamily wondering how she came to be there.
