used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Now that strain was mounting into volcano stirrings presaging an eruption.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
announceverbUS /əˈnaʊns/
make known; make an announcement
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
assurancenounUS /əˈʃʊrəns/
freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
BrentnounUS /brent/
small dark geese that breed in the north and migrate southward
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
Brent's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
civilizationnounUS /ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən/
a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
coincidencenounUS /koʊˈɪnsɪdəns/
an event that might have been arranged although it was really accidental
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
cuttingnounUS /ˈkʌtɪŋ/
the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
made known or openly avowed
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
the act of departing
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
eruptionnounUS /ˌiːˈrʌpʃən/
the sudden occurrence of a violent discharge of steam and volcanic material
From this reading Now that strain was mounting into volcano stirrings presaging an eruption.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
Halloway
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
Halloway's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
hopefuladjectiveUS /ˈhoʊpfəl/
having or manifesting hope
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
indicatingverbUS /ˈɪndəkeɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “indicate” — be a signal for or a symptom of
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Now that strain was mounting into volcano stirrings presaging an eruption.
a small worthless amount
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
mountingnounUS /ˈmaʊntɪŋ/
an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)
From this reading Now that strain was mounting into volcano stirrings presaging an eruption.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now that strain was mounting into volcano stirrings presaging an eruption.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
and nothing more
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
operatornounUS /ˈɑːpəreɪtər/
(mathematics) a symbol or function representing a mathematical operation
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
a future prospect or potential
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
presagingverbUS /ˈpresɪdʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “presage” — indicate, as with a sign or an omen
From this reading Now that strain was mounting into volcano stirrings presaging an eruption.
promptnessnoun
the characteristic of doing things without delay
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
quenchverbUS /kwentʃ/
satisfy
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
scrapedverbUS /skreɪpt/
past form of “scrape” — scratch repeatedly
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
not in physical motion
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
stirringsnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋz/
plural of “stirring” — agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading Now that strain was mounting into volcano stirrings presaging an eruption.
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
team-work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still Brent's promptness in cutting him off on the arrival of the operator had seemed a hopeful sign indicating team-work.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Time had hung heavy on Jack Halloway's hands after he had heard Brent announce his departure.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
volcanonounUS /vɑːlˈkeɪnoʊ/
a fissure in the earth's crust (or in the surface of some other planet) through which molten lava and gases erupt
From this reading Now that strain was mounting into volcano stirrings presaging an eruption.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Now that strain was mounting into volcano stirrings presaging an eruption.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
which person or people
From this reading Halloway had declared himself a man who took joy in the savage strain which that civilization had failed to quench out of his nature.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The chair scraped on the floor, had been his only assurance that the other had understood him and that might, within possibility, have been a coincidence.
