used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
autonounUS /ˈɔːtoʊ/
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
axlenounUS /ˈæksəl/
a shaft on which a wheel rotates
From this reading The left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling some yards ere it stopped.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
beingsnounUS /ˈbiːɪŋz/
plural of “being” — the state or fact of existing
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
of short duration or distance
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading The left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling some yards ere it stopped.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Now, they lay by the road side in varying degrees of disaster.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
plural of “degree” — a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading Now, they lay by the road side in varying degrees of disaster.
disasternounUS /dɪˈzæstər/
a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune
From this reading Now, they lay by the road side in varying degrees of disaster.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
an old word for “before”
From this reading The left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling some yards ere it stopped.
Farnum
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
moving swiftly
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading The left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling some yards ere it stopped.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
hurledverbUS /hɜːrld/
past form of “hurl” — throw forcefully
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling some yards ere it stopped.
JacobnounUS /ˈdʒeɪkəb/
French biochemist who (with Jacques Monod) studied regulatory processes in cells (born in 1920)
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Now, they lay by the road side in varying degrees of disaster.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading The left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling some yards ere it stopped.
a particular point in time
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, they lay by the road side in varying degrees of disaster.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Now, they lay by the road side in varying degrees of disaster.
uttered with a trill
From this reading The left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling some yards ere it stopped.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Now, they lay by the road side in varying degrees of disaster.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling some yards ere it stopped.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading The left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling some yards ere it stopped.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Now, they lay by the road side in varying degrees of disaster.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading THE TRICK IS EASILY SEEN THROUGH In the next instant all had settled.
varyingadjectiveUS /ˈveriɪŋ/
marked by diversity or difference
From this reading Now, they lay by the road side in varying degrees of disaster.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Jacob Farnum, seated right over the axle, was hurled out, head first as nearly as he could afterwards guess.
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading The left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling some yards ere it stopped.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
wreckedadjectiveUS /rekt/
destroyed in an accident
From this reading There had been a brief moment in which the air around the wrecked auto had seemed full of flying human beings.
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 left front axle had broken, the wheel rolling some yards ere it stopped.
