used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
accostedverbUS /əˈkɑːstɪd/
past form of “accost” — speak to someone
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
(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 THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
apelikeadjectiveUS /ˈeɪplaɪk/
resembling apes
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
make certain of
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading His eyes lifted an instant from the binnacle card to glance at me curiously.
binnaclenoun
a nonmagnetic housing for a ship's compass (usually in front of the helm)
From this reading His eyes lifted an instant from the binnacle card to glance at me curiously.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
the two together, not just one
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
brutenounUS /bruːt/
a cruelly rapacious person
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
buckingverbUS /ˈbʌkɪŋ/
-ing form of “buck” — to strive with determination
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
From this reading His eyes lifted an instant from the binnacle card to glance at me curiously.
power to direct or determine
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
curiouslyadverbUS /ˈkjʊriəsli/
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading His eyes lifted an instant from the binnacle card to glance at me curiously.
determinationnounUS /dɪˌtɜːrməˈneɪʃən/
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
exhibitedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪbətəd/
past form of “exhibit” — show an attribute, property, knowledge, or skill
From this reading They exhibited no flash of recognition.
opinion or judgment
From this reading His eyes lifted an instant from the binnacle card to glance at me curiously.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading They exhibited no flash of recognition.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading His eyes lifted an instant from the binnacle card to glance at me curiously.
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading His eyes lifted an instant from the binnacle card to glance at me curiously.
graspedverbUS /ɡræspt/
past form of “grasp” — hold firmly
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
(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 He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
inchnounUS /ɪntʃ/
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading His eyes lifted an instant from the binnacle card to glance at me curiously.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
go away from a place
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
held up in the air
From this reading His eyes lifted an instant from the binnacle card to glance at me curiously.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His eyes lifted an instant from the binnacle card to glance at me curiously.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
NAMURnoun
a city in south central Belgium situated on a promontory between the Meuse River and the Sambre River; the site of intense fighting in World War I and World War II
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
not any; not one
From this reading They exhibited no flash of recognition.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
recognitionnounUS /ˌrekəɡˈnɪʃən/
the state or quality of being recognized or acknowledged
From this reading They exhibited no flash of recognition.
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
only a very short time before
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
spokesnounUS /spoʊks/
plural of “spoke” — support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They exhibited no flash of recognition.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
ugly-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading THE CABIN OF THE NAMUR Both huge black hands grasped the spokes, and it was evident that it required all his giant strength to control the bucking wheel.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With sudden relief, and a determination to thoroughly assure myself, I stepped forward and accosted him.
woolnounUS /wʊl/
a fabric made from the hair of sheep
From this reading He was an ugly-looking brute, the lower portion of his face apelike, and the wool growing so low as to leave him scarcely an inch of forehead.
