used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They parted and let me through, and I saw him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
clenchedadjectiveUS /klentʃt/
closed or squeezed together tightly
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
dapperadjectiveUS /ˈdæpər/
marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
one or the other of two
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
extravagantadjectiveUS /ekˈstrævəɡənt/
unrestrained, especially with regard to feelings
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
franticallyadverbUS /ˈfræntəkəli/
in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
frock-coated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
grillnounUS /ɡrɪl/
a restaurant where food is cooked on a grill
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They parted and let me through, and I saw him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading They parted and let me through, and I saw him.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
intervalnounUS /ˈɪntərvəl/
a definite length of time marked off by two instants
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
jaw-bones
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading They parted and let me through, and I saw him.
MajoradjectiveUS /ˈmeɪdʒər/
of greater importance or stature or rank
From this reading "Major Shrike!"
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They parted and let me through, and I saw him.
not in physical motion
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
narrownessnounUS /ˈneroʊnəs/
the property of being narrow; having little width
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
having a margin incised almost to the base so as to create distinct divisions or lobes
From this reading They parted and let me through, and I saw him.
posturenounUS /ˈpɑːstʃər/
the arrangement of the body and its limbs
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
precludedverbUS /prɪˈkluːdɪd/
past form of “preclude” — keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
compacted by ironing
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
railsnounUS /reɪlz/
a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
releaseverbUS /riˈliːs/
release, as from one's grip
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
ridgesnounUS /ˈrɪdʒəz/
plural of “ridge” — a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
cut with a saw
From this reading They parted and let me through, and I saw him.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
Shrikenoun
any of numerous Old World birds having a strong hooked bill that feed on smaller animals
From this reading "Major Shrike!"
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
sprucenounUS /spruːs/
light soft moderately strong wood of spruce trees; used especially for timbers and millwork
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
strivingnounUS /ˈstraɪvɪŋ/
an effortful attempt to attain a goal
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
tautadjectiveUS /tɔːt/
pulled or drawn tight
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They parted and let me through, and I saw him.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading They parted and let me through, and I saw him.
tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
trapnounUS /træp/
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
whiskersnounUS /ˈwɪskərz/
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
a Caucasian
From this reading He stood quite motionless--taut and on the strain, as it were--and nothing of his face was visible but the back ridges of his jaw-bones, showing white through a bush of red whiskers.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He stood, spruce, frock-coated, dapper, as he always was, with his face pressed against and _into_ the grill, and either hand raised and clenched tightly round a bar of the trap.
but in spite of that
From this reading His posture was as of one caught and striving frantically to release himself; yet the narrowness of the interval between the rails precluded so extravagant an idea.
