used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
from appearances alone
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
ashesnounUS /ˈæʃ.ɪz/
The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "What object do you expect to gain by this course?" the judge asked.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
the act of breaking something
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
BRINKnounUS /brɪŋk/
a region marking a boundary
From this reading ON THE BRINK.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "What object do you expect to gain by this course?" the judge asked.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading "What object do you expect to gain by this course?" the judge asked.
damningadjectiveUS /ˈdæmɪŋ/
threatening with damnation
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "What object do you expect to gain by this course?" the judge asked.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
inflected form of “drink” — take in liquids
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
regard something as probable or likely
From this reading "What object do you expect to gain by this course?" the judge asked.
obtain
From this reading "What object do you expect to gain by this course?" the judge asked.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
determine the result of (a competition)
From this reading "What object do you expect to gain by this course?" the judge asked.
ledgenounUS /ledʒ/
a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under water
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
held up in the air
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading "What object do you expect to gain by this course?" the judge asked.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ON THE BRINK.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
proofsnounUS /pruːfs/
plural of “proof” — any factual evidence that helps to establish the truth of something
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ON THE BRINK.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "What object do you expect to gain by this course?" the judge asked.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was quite evident that the strong man was breaking down under the strain of these damning proofs.
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 With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What object do you expect to gain by this course?" the judge asked.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With a shaking hand he lifted the glass of water which had been placed on a little ledge before him, and drank it down eagerly.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He would, apparently, have said more if he could, but his lips were dry, and the back of his throat appeared to have turned to ashes.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What object do you expect to gain by this course?" the judge asked.
