used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
achievingverbUS /əˈtʃiːvɪŋ/
-ing form of “achieve” — to gain with effort
From this reading The major problem in achieving space flight lay in overcoming gravity.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
(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 All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That had been done and men had reached the Moon.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading That had been done and men had reached the Moon.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
make by combining materials and parts
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But strangely, they never returned!
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading That had been done and men had reached the Moon.
divisible by two
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading The major problem in achieving space flight lay in overcoming gravity.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
gleamingnounUS /ˈɡliːmɪŋ/
a flash of light (especially reflected light)
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
destroyed or killed
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
gravitynounUS /ˈɡrævəti/
(physics) the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface
From this reading The major problem in achieving space flight lay in overcoming gravity.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
groomverbUS /ɡruːm/
educate for a future role or function
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading That had been done and men had reached the Moon.
ten 10s
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The major problem in achieving space flight lay in overcoming gravity.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The major problem in achieving space flight lay in overcoming gravity.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
majoradjectiveUS /ˈmeɪdʒər/
of greater importance or stature or rank
From this reading The major problem in achieving space flight lay in overcoming gravity.
the force of workers available
From this reading That had been done and men had reached the Moon.
monsternounUS /ˈmɑːnstər/
an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading That had been done and men had reached the Moon.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading But strangely, they never returned!
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
overcomingverbUS /ˈoʊvərkʌmɪŋ/
-ing form of “overcome” — win a victory over
From this reading The major problem in achieving space flight lay in overcoming gravity.
a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading The major problem in achieving space flight lay in overcoming gravity.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading That had been done and men had reached the Moon.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading But strangely, they never returned!
rocketsnounUS /ˈrɑːkəts/
plural of “rocket” — any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading The major problem in achieving space flight lay in overcoming gravity.
in a strange manner
From this reading But strangely, they never returned!
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That had been done and men had reached the Moon.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The major problem in achieving space flight lay in overcoming gravity.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But strangely, they never returned!
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon.
in the company of; together with
From this reading All this they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one had returned.
