used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DETECTIVE IN A BAD FIX.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "One step forward and some one bites the dust!"
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading A DETECTIVE IN A BAD FIX.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Detective Hook flung his hand behind him.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
bitesnounUS /baɪts/
plural of “bite” — a wound resulting from biting by an animal or a person
From this reading "One step forward and some one bites the dust!"
CherrynounUS /ˈtʃeri/
wood of any of various cherry trees especially the black cherry
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading A DETECTIVE IN A BAD FIX.
remove the dust from
From this reading "One step forward and some one bites the dust!"
feebleadjectiveUS /ˈfiːbəl/
pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
plural of “fellow” — a boy or man
From this reading "Stand off, there, you fellows!" he shouted, sternly.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
with resolute determination
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
From this reading A DETECTIVE IN A BAD FIX.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading Detective Hook flung his hand behind him.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading "One step forward and some one bites the dust!"
glitteredverbUS /ˈɡlɪtərd/
past form of “glitter” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
graspedverbUS /ɡræspt/
past form of “grasp” — hold firmly
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Detective Hook flung his hand behind him.
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Detective Hook flung his hand behind him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Detective Hook flung his hand behind him.
HookverbUS /hʊk/
fasten with a hook
From this reading Detective Hook flung his hand behind him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A DETECTIVE IN A BAD FIX.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "Stand off, there, you fellows!" he shouted, sternly.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "One step forward and some one bites the dust!"
raysnounUS /reɪz/
plural of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
revolvernounUS /rɪˈvɑːlvər/
a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets)
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
get rid of
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading "Stand off, there, you fellows!" he shouted, sternly.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "One step forward and some one bites the dust!"
be standing; be upright
From this reading "Stand off, there, you fellows!" he shouted, sternly.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading "One step forward and some one bites the dust!"
sternlyadverbUS /ˈstɜːrnli/
with sternness; in a severe manner
From this reading "Stand off, there, you fellows!" he shouted, sternly.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
tenementnounUS /ˈtenəmənt/
a run-down apartment house barely meeting minimal standards
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "Stand off, there, you fellows!" he shouted, sternly.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Instantly a revolver, grasped firmly between his fingers, glittered in the rays of the hanging lamp which shed its feeble light through the hall of the Cherry street tenement in which he now stood at bay.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Stand off, there, you fellows!" he shouted, sternly.
