used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
(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 He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The other, the one on the right, shimmered golden as Earth's September sun.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
basesnounUS /ˈbeɪsəz/
plural of “base” — installation from which a military force initiates operations
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
beamnounUS /biːm/
a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading The beam on the left shone rich with hues of deepest purple.
BoonenounUS /buːn/
an American pioneer and guide and explorer (1734-1820)
From this reading Numb, wordless, Boone moved forward with unsteady steps.
bubble-chambers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
conesnounUS /koʊnz/
plural of “cone” — any cone-shaped artifact
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
deepestadjectiveUS /ˈdiːpəst/
superlative of “deep” — relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading The beam on the left shone rich with hues of deepest purple.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
Earth'snounUS /ɜːrθs/
possessive form of “earth” — the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading The other, the one on the right, shimmered golden as Earth's September sun.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Numb, wordless, Boone moved forward with unsteady steps.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
glowingadjectiveUS /ˈɡloʊɪŋ/
highly enthusiastic
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading The other, the one on the right, shimmered golden as Earth's September sun.
halo-source
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
huesnounUS /hjuːz/
plural of “hue” — the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength
From this reading The beam on the left shone rich with hues of deepest purple.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
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 beam on the left shone rich with hues of deepest purple.
light-shafts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Numb, wordless, Boone moved forward with unsteady steps.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
NumbadjectiveUS /nʌm/
lacking sensation
From this reading Numb, wordless, Boone moved forward with unsteady steps.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The beam on the left shone rich with hues of deepest purple.
on one occasion
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The other, the one on the right, shimmered golden as Earth's September sun.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The other, the one on the right, shimmered golden as Earth's September sun.
poundingnounUS /ˈpaʊndɪŋ/
repeated heavy blows
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading The beam on the left shone rich with hues of deepest purple.
possessing material wealth
From this reading The beam on the left shone rich with hues of deepest purple.
precisely, exactly
From this reading The other, the one on the right, shimmered golden as Earth's September sun.
cut with a saw
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/
the month following August and preceding October
From this reading The other, the one on the right, shimmered golden as Earth's September sun.
shimmeredverbUS /ˈʃɪmərd/
past form of “shimmer” — shine with a weak or fitful light
From this reading The other, the one on the right, shimmered golden as Earth's September sun.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading The beam on the left shone rich with hues of deepest purple.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
the place where something begins, where it springs into being
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
speared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Numb, wordless, Boone moved forward with unsteady steps.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The other, the one on the right, shimmered golden as Earth's September sun.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
up to a particular time
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
unsteadyadjectiveUS /ənˈstedi/
subject to change or variation
From this reading Numb, wordless, Boone moved forward with unsteady steps.
vastest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He saw the light-shafts first--two glowing cones of color that speared down from a single halo-source high in this vastest of all the bubble-chambers.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Now he saw the cones' bases as well as source; and all at once his heart was pounding, pounding, till he thought that it must surely burst.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The beam on the left shone rich with hues of deepest purple.
wordlessadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrdləs/
expressed without speech
From this reading Numb, wordless, Boone moved forward with unsteady steps.
