used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
archwaynounUS /ˈɑːrtʃweɪ/
a passageway under a curved masonry construction
From this reading SIAMESE SHROUD Stan halted before entering the dark archway.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading SIAMESE SHROUD Stan halted before entering the dark archway.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
coilsnounUS /kɔɪlz/
plural of “coil” — a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading SIAMESE SHROUD Stan halted before entering the dark archway.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
a movement into or inward
From this reading SIAMESE SHROUD Stan halted before entering the dark archway.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
filteredverbUS /ˈfɪltərd/
past form of “filter” — remove by passing through a filter
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
fistsnounUS /fɪsts/
plural of “fist” — a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading There was a quick and powerful jerk that lifted him off the ground.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
past form of “halt” — cause to stop
From this reading SIAMESE SHROUD Stan halted before entering the dark archway.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There was a quick and powerful jerk that lifted him off the ground.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
jerkverbUS /dʒɜːrk/
pull, or move with a sudden movement
From this reading There was a quick and powerful jerk that lifted him off the ground.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
held up in the air
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
loopedverbUS /luːpt/
past form of “loop” — move in loops
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
the light of the Moon
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading There was a quick and powerful jerk that lifted him off the ground.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading There was a quick and powerful jerk that lifted him off the ground.
compacted by ironing
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading There was a quick and powerful jerk that lifted him off the ground.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
SHROUDverbUS /ʃraʊd/
cover as if with a shroud
From this reading SIAMESE SHROUD Stan halted before entering the dark archway.
SIAMESEnounUS /ˌsaɪəˈmiːz/
a branch of the Tai languages
From this reading SIAMESE SHROUD Stan halted before entering the dark archway.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
snakenounUS /sneɪk/
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
Stan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SIAMESE SHROUD Stan halted before entering the dark archway.
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He felt something soft strike his shoulder, something that looped around his neck like the coils of a snake.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SIAMESE SHROUD Stan halted before entering the dark archway.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a quick and powerful jerk that lifted him off the ground.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a quick and powerful jerk that lifted him off the ground.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Slowly Stan moved forward and as he went his hands lifted until his fists were pressed at each side of his head.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He had seen a movement in the moonlight which filtered through the leaves of a big tree beyond the wall.
