used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They tried to kill Alan Rackham about an hour after he had seen the accident.
an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading They tried to kill Alan Rackham about an hour after he had seen the accident.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading They tried to kill Alan Rackham about an hour after he had seen the accident.
Alan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
ambushverbUS /ˈæmbʊʃ/
wait in hiding to attack
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They tried to kill Alan Rackham about an hour after he had seen the accident.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/
feeling or showing anger
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
atomicadjectiveUS /əˈtɑːmɪk/
of or relating to or comprising atoms
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
automaticadjectiveUS /ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk/
operating with minimal human intervention; independent of external control
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
bungledadjectiveUS /ˈbʌŋɡəld/
spoiled through incompetence or clumsiness
From this reading They bungled the job.
citiesnounUS /ˈsɪtiz/
plural of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
although something is true; in spite of
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
Earth'snounUS /ɜːrθs/
possessive form of “earth” — the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They tried to kill Alan Rackham about an hour after he had seen the accident.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Was it possible he sought himself?
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Was it possible he sought himself?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
the act of retaining something
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading They tried to kill Alan Rackham about an hour after he had seen the accident.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Was it possible he sought himself?
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading They bungled the job.
cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading They tried to kill Alan Rackham about an hour after he had seen the accident.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
set down according to a plan
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading Was it possible he sought himself?
protectingadjectiveUS /prəˈtektɪŋ/
shielding (or designed to shield) against harm or discomfort
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
Rackham
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
searchedverbUS /sɜːrtʃt/
past form of “search” — try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading They tried to kill Alan Rackham about an hour after he had seen the accident.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
shieldnounUS /ʃiːld/
a protective covering or structure
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
sixthadjectiveUS /sɪksθ/
coming next after the fifth and just before the seventh in position
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
solidadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləd/
characterized by good substantial quality
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
that is looked for
From this reading Was it possible he sought himself?
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
sprawledverbUS /sprɔːld/
past form of “sprawl” — sit or lie with one's limbs spread out
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They tried to kill Alan Rackham about an hour after he had seen the accident.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
traitorsnounUS /ˈtreɪtərz/
plural of “traitor” — someone who betrays his country by committing treason
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading They tried to kill Alan Rackham about an hour after he had seen the accident.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
precisely as stated
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
Wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Was it possible he sought himself?
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
weaponsnounUS /ˈwepənz/
plural of “weapon” — any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading As atomic weapons from space laid waste to Earth's cities, Alan Rackham searched for the traitors.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
which person or people
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
wrigglings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They shot at him from ambush--with an ordinary automatic pistol--as he was walking up to his house; and Brave, who had a sixth sense for danger which never failed him, knocked Alan over at the very instant of the shot and sprawled across him, a great solid shield holding him down and protecting him despite his angry wrigglings.
