used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
pleasantly occupied
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
towards the shore from the water
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
dearly loved
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading THE COMING OF THE GREAT FISH-LIZARD.
the act of departing
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
characterized by great determination
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
engineernounUS /ˈendʒəˈnɪr/
a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
enginesnounUS /ˈendʒənz/
plural of “engine” — motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
an old word for “before”
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
fasteningnounUS /ˈfæsənɪŋ/
restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
FISH-LIZARD
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COMING OF THE GREAT FISH-LIZARD.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
funginounUS /ˈfʌndʒaɪ/
the taxonomic kingdom including yeast, molds, smuts, mushrooms, and toadstools; distinct from the green plants
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
gleamverbUS /ɡliːm/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
glisteningadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪsənɪŋ/
reflecting light
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
let have
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading THE COMING OF THE GREAT FISH-LIZARD.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
growthsnounUS /ɡroʊθs/
plural of “growth” — (biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
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 For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
monotonousadjectiveUS /məˈnɑːtənəs/
tediously repetitious or lacking in variety
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE COMING OF THE GREAT FISH-LIZARD.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
SecurelyadverbUS /sɪˈkjʊrli/
in a secure manner; in a manner free from danger
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They were so uncanny, so spectral in their splendour.
spectraladjectiveUS /ˈspektrəl/
of or relating to a spectrum
From this reading They were so uncanny, so spectral in their splendour.
splendournoun
a quality that outshines the usual
From this reading They were so uncanny, so spectral in their splendour.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE COMING OF THE GREAT FISH-LIZARD.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
thoroughadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːroʊ/
painstakingly careful and accurate
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
turretnounUS /ˈtɜːrət/
a small tower extending above a building
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
uncannyadjectiveUS /ənˈkæni/
suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
From this reading They were so uncanny, so spectral in their splendour.
having passed out of existence
From this reading “HEAVEN grant they may return in safety!” muttered the engineer as his two friends vanished amid the fungi.
weirdadjectiveUS /wɪrd/
suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Securely fastening the turret door, he went below, determined to give his beloved engines a thorough clean.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were so uncanny, so spectral in their splendour.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading For a while after their departure he amused himself by gazing at the weird and glistening growths ashore; but ere long he grew tired of the monotonous gleam of the things.
