used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A FIGHT IN THE DARK.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
assistantnounUS /əˈsɪstənt/
a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
backedadjectiveUS /bækt/
having a back or backing, usually of a specified type
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
CarternounUS /ˈkɑːrtər/
Englishman and Egyptologist who in 1922 discovered and excavated the tomb of Tutankhamen (1873-1939)
From this reading “The light, Chick!” whispered Carter.
ChicknounUS /tʃɪk/
young bird especially of domestic fowl
From this reading “The light, Chick!” whispered Carter.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
curtainsnounUS /ˈkɜːrtənz/
plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading A FIGHT IN THE DARK.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
electricadjectiveUS /ɪˈlektrɪk/
using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading A FIGHT IN THE DARK.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
globenounUS /ɡloʊb/
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
ground-glass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
HowardnounUS /ˈhaʊərd/
English actor of stage and screen (1893-1943)
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A FIGHT IN THE DARK.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
and nothing more
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading “The light, Chick!” whispered Carter.
the force of workers available
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
Milmarsh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
NickverbUS /nɪk/
cut slightly, with a razor
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
paddingnounUS /ˈpædɪŋ/
artifact consisting of soft or resilient material used to fill or give shape or protect or add comfort
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
a particular situation
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
snappedverbUS /snæpt/
inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
a person, without saying who
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
surgingadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrdʒɪŋ/
characterized by great swelling waves or surges
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A FIGHT IN THE DARK.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two men came surging into the room just as Nick and his assistant backed away into the shadows behind the bed curtains.
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading Chick understood, and instantly snapped out the electric light in the ground-glass globe on the table, putting the room in black darkness.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading “The light, Chick!” whispered Carter.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading They could hear somebody padding about without shoes not far away, and they knew that Howard Milmarsh had jumped from the bed and was ready to fight.
