used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The flames were less vivid, but a dense pall of smoke overhung the sky.
AFTERprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading AFTER THE FIRE Daylight brought little alleviation to the horrors of the scene.
(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 An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
alleviationnounUS /əˌliːviˈeɪʃən/
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading AFTER THE FIRE Daylight brought little alleviation to the horrors of the scene.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
breakfasted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading AFTER THE FIRE Daylight brought little alleviation to the horrors of the scene.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The flames were less vivid, but a dense pall of smoke overhung the sky.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
CyrilnounUS /ˈsɪrəl/
Greek missionary; the invention of the Cyrillic alphabet is attributed to him (826-869)
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading AFTER THE FIRE Daylight brought little alleviation to the horrors of the scene.
denseadjectiveUS /dens/
permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
From this reading The flames were less vivid, but a dense pall of smoke overhung the sky.
Dowsett
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
exclamationnounUS /ˌekskləˈmeɪʃən/
an abrupt excited utterance
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
start firing a weapon
From this reading AFTER THE FIRE Daylight brought little alleviation to the horrors of the scene.
flamesnounUS /fleɪmz/
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading The flames were less vivid, but a dense pall of smoke overhung the sky.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
horrorsnounUS /ˈhɔːrərz/
plural of “horror” — intense and profound fear
From this reading AFTER THE FIRE Daylight brought little alleviation to the horrors of the scene.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "St. Paul's is on fire!"
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading The flames were less vivid, but a dense pall of smoke overhung the sky.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading AFTER THE FIRE Daylight brought little alleviation to the horrors of the scene.
Nellie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AFTER THE FIRE Daylight brought little alleviation to the horrors of the scene.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "St. Paul's is on fire!"
overhungverbUS /oʊvərˈhʌŋ/
inflected form of “overhang” — project over
From this reading The flames were less vivid, but a dense pall of smoke overhung the sky.
pallverbUS /pɑːl/
become less interesting or attractive
From this reading The flames were less vivid, but a dense pall of smoke overhung the sky.
Paul'snounUS /pɔːlz/
possessive form of “paul” — United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading "St. Paul's is on fire!"
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
rowedverbUS /roʊd/
past form of “row” — propel with oars
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
cut with a saw
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading AFTER THE FIRE Daylight brought little alleviation to the horrors of the scene.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The flames were less vivid, but a dense pall of smoke overhung the sky.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading The flames were less vivid, but a dense pall of smoke overhung the sky.
a male human offspring
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
in the near future
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "St. Paul's is on fire!"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AFTER THE FIRE Daylight brought little alleviation to the horrors of the scene.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AFTER THE FIRE Daylight brought little alleviation to the horrors of the scene.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
travelledadjectiveUS /ˈtrævəld/
familiar with many parts of the world
From this reading An exclamation burst from them all as they saw how fast the flames had travelled since the previous evening.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading The flames were less vivid, but a dense pall of smoke overhung the sky.
WatsonnounUS /ˈwɑːtsən/
United States telephone engineer who assisted Alexander Graham Bell in his experiments (1854-1934)
From this reading As soon as they had breakfasted, Captain Watson, his son, Captain Dowsett, Nellie, and Cyril took their places in the boat, and were rowed up the river.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The flames were less vivid, but a dense pall of smoke overhung the sky.
