used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading He kept on going, running around to the rear.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
barberrynoun
any of numerous plants of the genus Berberis having prickly stems and yellow flowers followed by small red berries
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Bob wasted no time in reconnoitering the house.
clawedadjectiveUS /klɔːd/
having or resembling a claw or claws; often used as a combining form
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
rid of obstructions
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
denseadjectiveUS /dens/
permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
exhaustverbUS /ɪɡˈzɔːst/
wear out completely
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
explosionnounUS /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
set up or found
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
the act of departing
From this reading He kept on going, running around to the rear.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
to a considerable degree
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading He kept on going, running around to the rear.
not any; not one
From this reading But Bob wasted no time in reconnoitering the house.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He kept on going, running around to the rear.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading He kept on going, running around to the rear.
reconnoiteringnoun
exploring in order to gain information
From this reading But Bob wasted no time in reconnoitering the house.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading He kept on going, running around to the rear.
sedannounUS /səˈdæn/
a car that is closed and that has front and rear seats and two or four doors
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
shrubberynounUS /ˈʃrʌbəri/
an area where a number of shrubs are planted
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
shutteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃʌtərd/
provided with shutters or shutters as specified; often used in combination
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
in or at that place or location
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading But Bob wasted no time in reconnoitering the house.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
unoccupiedadjectiveUS /əˈnɑːkjəpaɪd/
not held or filled or in use
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
wastedadjectiveUS /ˈweɪstɪd/
serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being
From this reading But Bob wasted no time in reconnoitering the house.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading As Bob clawed his way through the dense shrubbery there was a sharp explosion behind him.
at the time that
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Whether it was a shot or the exhaust of the sedan was something he didn’t stop to find out.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading When he was finally clear of the barberry, Bob found himself in a small, open yard in front of the house, which was heavily shuttered and evidently unoccupied.
