used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A severed tension-wire coiled itself round his left ankle.
anklenounUS /ˈæŋkəl/
a gliding joint between the distal ends of the tibia and fibula and the proximal end of the talus
From this reading A severed tension-wire coiled itself round his left ankle.
asphyxiatingadjectiveUS /æˈsfɪksieɪtɪŋ/
tending to deprive of oxygen
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
beltnounUS /belt/
endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
blindlyadverbUS /ˈblaɪndli/
without seeing or looking
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
bootnounUS /buːt/
footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading At the expense of his fleece-lined boot he succeeded in disengaging the sinuous embrace of the spring-like metal.
breathlessadjectiveUS /ˈbreθləs/
not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
buckleverbUS /ˈbʌkəl/
fasten with a buckle or buckles
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
burstingverbUS /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/
-ing form of “burst” — come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
coiledadjectiveUS /kɔɪld/
curled or wound (especially in concentric rings or spirals)
From this reading A severed tension-wire coiled itself round his left ankle.
crashverbUS /kræʃ/
fall or come down violently
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
Derek
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
disengagingverbUS /dɪsɪnˈɡeɪdʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “disengage” — release from something that holds fast, connects, or entangles
From this reading At the expense of his fleece-lined boot he succeeded in disengaging the sinuous embrace of the spring-like metal.
embraceverbUS /emˈbreɪs/
include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
From this reading At the expense of his fleece-lined boot he succeeded in disengaging the sinuous embrace of the spring-like metal.
encompassingadjectiveUS /enˈkʌmpəsɪŋ/
broad in scope or content
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
endeavoured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
expensenounUS /ɪkˈspens/
amounts paid for goods and services that may be currently tax deductible (as opposed to capital expenditures)
From this reading At the expense of his fleece-lined boot he succeeded in disengaging the sinuous embrace of the spring-like metal.
extricateverbUS /ˈekstrəkeɪt/
release from entanglement of difficulty
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
feverishlyadverbUS /ˈfevərɪʃli/
in a feverish manner
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
fleece-lined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the expense of his fleece-lined boot he succeeded in disengaging the sinuous embrace of the spring-like metal.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
heatedadjectiveUS /ˈhiːtəd/
made warm or hot (“het” is a dialectal variant of “heated”)
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading A severed tension-wire coiled itself round his left ankle.
leathernounUS /ˈleðər/
an animal skin made smooth and flexible by removing the hair and then tanning
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
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 A severed tension-wire coiled itself round his left ankle.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
lungsnounUS /lʌŋz/
plural of “lung” — either of two saclike respiratory organs in the chest of vertebrates; serves to remove carbon dioxide and provide oxygen to the blood
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
metalnounUS /ˈmetəl/
any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.
From this reading At the expense of his fleece-lined boot he succeeded in disengaging the sinuous embrace of the spring-like metal.
mouthfuls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
past form of “render” — cause to become
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading A severed tension-wire coiled itself round his left ankle.
scramblingverbUS /ˈskræmbəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “scramble” — to move hurriedly
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
severedadjectiveUS /ˈsevərd/
detached by cutting
From this reading A severed tension-wire coiled itself round his left ankle.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
sinuousadjectiveUS /ˈsɪnwəs/
curved or curving in and out
From this reading At the expense of his fleece-lined boot he succeeded in disengaging the sinuous embrace of the spring-like metal.
spring-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the expense of his fleece-lined boot he succeeded in disengaging the sinuous embrace of the spring-like metal.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
struggledverbUS /ˈstrʌɡəld/
past form of “struggle” — make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
SwallowingverbUS /ˈswɑːloʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “swallow” — pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
tanglenounUS /ˈtæŋɡəl/
a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
tension-wire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A severed tension-wire coiled itself round his left ankle.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
unbuckleverb
undo the buckle of
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
unfasteningnoun
loosening the ties that fasten something
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Swallowing mouthfuls of water, until his lungs felt on the point of bursting under the asphyxiating strain, he at length succeeded in unfastening the buckle.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
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 The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
well-nighadverb
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The Next Day Rendered well-nigh breathless by the shock of the water following the crash, Derek struggled feverishly to unbuckle the stiff leather belt that held him to the seat.
wreckagenounUS /ˈrekədʒ/
the remaining parts of something that has been wrecked
From this reading Then, scrambling blindly, he endeavoured to extricate himself from the tangle of wreckage that, in his heated imagination, was encompassing him on every side.
