used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A CHANGE IN SIGNALS The scene in the room was one of confusion.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
(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 snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
anatomynounUS /əˈnætəmi/
the branch of morphology that deals with the structure of animals
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
biteverbUS /baɪt/
to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading A CHANGE IN SIGNALS The scene in the room was one of confusion.
complicatedadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmpləkeɪtəd/
difficult to analyze or understand
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
From this reading A CHANGE IN SIGNALS The scene in the room was one of confusion.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
made known or openly avowed
From this reading "It isn't a poisonous snake," declared Sid, who was something of a naturalist.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
geometricaladjectiveUS /ˌdʒiːəˈmetrɪkəl/
of or relating to or determined by geometry
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
gripnounUS /ɡrɪp/
the act of grasping
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
the act of retaining something
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A CHANGE IN SIGNALS The scene in the room was one of confusion.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
isn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It isn't a poisonous snake," declared Sid, who was something of a naturalist.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
knotsnounUS /nɑːts/
plural of “knot” — a tight cluster of people or things
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
mudturtle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
naturalistnounUS /ˈnætʃərələst/
an advocate of the doctrine that the world can be understood in scientific terms
From this reading "It isn't a poisonous snake," declared Sid, who was something of a naturalist.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A CHANGE IN SIGNALS The scene in the room was one of confusion.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A CHANGE IN SIGNALS The scene in the room was one of confusion.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
Phil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
poisonousadjectiveUS /ˈpɔɪzənəs/
having the qualities or effects of a poison
From this reading "It isn't a poisonous snake," declared Sid, who was something of a naturalist.
protestnounUS /ˈproʊtest/
a formal and solemn declaration of objection
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading A CHANGE IN SIGNALS The scene in the room was one of confusion.
rubbingnounUS /ˈrʌbɪŋ/
the resistance encountered when one body is moved in contact with another
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading A CHANGE IN SIGNALS The scene in the room was one of confusion.
Sid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
SIGNALSnounUS /ˈsɪɡnəlz/
plural of “signal” — any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading A CHANGE IN SIGNALS The scene in the room was one of confusion.
snakenounUS /sneɪk/
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading "It isn't a poisonous snake," declared Sid, who was something of a naturalist.
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
suspendedadjectiveUS /səˈspendɪd/
(of undissolved particles in a fluid) supported or kept from sinking or falling by buoyancy and without apparent attachment
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A CHANGE IN SIGNALS The scene in the room was one of confusion.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
male cat
From this reading Tom was dancing about, rubbing first here and then there on his anatomy.
tyingnounUS /ˈtaɪɪŋ/
the act of tying or binding things together
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A CHANGE IN SIGNALS The scene in the room was one of confusion.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
which person or people
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
wigglingverbUS /ˈwɪɡəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “wiggle” — move to and fro
From this reading The snake which Sid held was wiggling as if in protest at being suspended by the tail, and was tying itself into all sorts of complicated knots and geometrical figures.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Look out, it may bite you!" cried Phil, who was holding the mudturtle by the tail, the feet of the animal working back and forth in a vain effort to get a grip on the air.
