used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
eagerly desirous
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
Bert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
blacknessnounUS /ˈblæknəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
breatheverbUS /briːð/
draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
daringnounUS /ˈderɪŋ/
a challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
detectverbUS /dɪˈtekt/
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
an opposing military force
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
envelopingadjectiveUS /ɪnˈveləpɪŋ/
surrounding and closing in on or hemming in
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
exercisedverbUS /ˈeksərsaɪzd/
past form of “exercise” — put to use
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
ExtremitynounUS /ekˈstreməti/
an external body part that projects from the body
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
the organ of sight
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
experiencing or showing fear
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
ten 10s
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
improvisedadjectiveUS /ˈɪmprəvaɪzd/
done or made using whatever is available
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
lurkingverbUS /ˈlɜːrkɪŋ/
-ing form of “lurk” — lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
engage in
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
mergedadjectiveUS /mɜːrdʒd/
formed or united into a whole
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
panthernounUS /ˈpænθər/
a large spotted feline of tropical America similar to the leopard; in some classifications considered a member of the genus Felis
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
a person who is being chased
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
rampartnounUS /ˈræmpɑːrt/
an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
precisely, exactly
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
rustlingnounUS /ˈrʌslɪŋ/
the stealing of cattle
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
only a very short time before
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
secondsnounUS /ˈsekəndz/
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
in or at or to some place
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
stealthyadjectiveUS /ˈstelθi/
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
strainingnounUS /ˈstreɪnɪŋ/
an intense or violent exertion
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
in a swift manner
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
traveledadjectiveUS /ˈtrævəld/
traveled over or through; sometimes used as a combining term
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
treadverbUS /tred/
put down or press the foot, place the foot
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
unbrokenadjectiveUS /ənˈbroʊkən/
marked by continuous or uninterrupted extension in space or time or sequence
From this reading They listened with straining ears for any sound of shot or struggle, but the deep silence of a prairie night remained unbroken.
velvetyadjectiveUS /ˈvelvəti/
smooth and soft to sight or hearing or touch or taste
From this reading He dropped to the ground like a flash, and, scarcely daring to breathe, peered through the velvety blackness, straining his eyes in an attempt to make out the cause of the sound.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Bert pursued his way swiftly, but at the same time he exercised all the knowledge that a life of adventure had given him to detect with ear or eye the presence of a lurking enemy.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
at the time that
From this reading He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In Fearful Extremity With the stealthy tread of a panther, Bert climbed over the improvised rampart, and a few seconds later his form merged into the enveloping darkness and was lost to the view of his anxious friends.
plural of “yard” — 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 He had traveled several hundred yards when suddenly he heard what seemed to be a stealthy rustling, off somewhere to his right.
