used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Mice bad around the place, are they?"
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Mice bad around the place, are they?"
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading Mice bad around the place, are they?"
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
lacking funds
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
bullet-proof
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "By the way," I said.
coveringnounUS /ˈkʌvərɪŋ/
a natural object that covers or envelops
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
four-thirty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
frondsnounUS /frɑːndz/
plural of “frond” — compound leaf of a fern or palm or cycad
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
handyadjectiveUS /ˈhændi/
easy to reach
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
home-model
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
MicenounUS /maɪs/
plural of “mouse” — any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails
From this reading Mice bad around the place, are they?"
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "Those things were necessary--and more."
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
absolutely essential
From this reading "Those things were necessary--and more."
palmnounUS /pɑːm/
the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Mice bad around the place, are they?"
routinenounUS /ruːˈtiːn/
an unvarying or habitual method or procedure
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "By the way," I said.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
shuttersnounUS /ˈʃʌtərz/
plural of “shutter” — a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
streaknounUS /striːk/
an unbroken series of events
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
tentativeadjectiveUS /ˈtentətɪv/
under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mice bad around the place, are they?"
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading "Those things were necessary--and more."
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading "Those things were necessary--and more."
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was nearly four-thirty and a tentative grey streak showed through the palm fronds to the east before I broke the silence.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "By the way," I said.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Those things were necessary--and more."
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
in the company of; together with
From this reading "What was the routine with the steel shutters, and the bullet-proof glass in the kitchen, and the handy home-model machine gun covering the front door?
