used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
in actual fact
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading But the impact of the bullet against his skull had stunned him and dropped him in his tracks.
Allston's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bud Childers’s bullet had not found Allston’s heart.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
borderlandnoun
district consisting of the area on either side of a border or boundary of a country or an area
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
BudnounUS /bʌd/
a partially opened flower
From this reading Bud Childers’s bullet had not found Allston’s heart.
bulletnounUS /ˈbʊlət/
a projectile that is fired from a gun
From this reading Bud Childers’s bullet had not found Allston’s heart.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the impact of the bullet against his skull had stunned him and dropped him in his tracks.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
Childers's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bud Childers’s bullet had not found Allston’s heart.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
placed crosswise
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading But the impact of the bullet against his skull had stunned him and dropped him in his tracks.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
set up or found
From this reading Bud Childers’s bullet had not found Allston’s heart.
gashverbUS /ɡæʃ/
cut open
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The shot had gone high and a little wild.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Bud Childers’s bullet had not found Allston’s heart.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Bud Childers’s bullet had not found Allston’s heart.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The shot had gone high and a little wild.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But the impact of the bullet against his skull had stunned him and dropped him in his tracks.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
impactnounUS /ˌɪmˈpækt/
the striking of one body against another
From this reading But the impact of the bullet against his skull had stunned him and dropped him in his tracks.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But the impact of the bullet against his skull had stunned him and dropped him in his tracks.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The shot had gone high and a little wild.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
not any; not one
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading The shot had gone high and a little wild.
skullnounUS /skʌl/
the bony skeleton of the head of vertebrates
From this reading But the impact of the bullet against his skull had stunned him and dropped him in his tracks.
sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
stunnedadjectiveUS /stʌnd/
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading But the impact of the bullet against his skull had stunned him and dropped him in his tracks.
place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
tracksnounUS /træks/
plural of “track” — a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading But the impact of the bullet against his skull had stunned him and dropped him in his tracks.
precisely as stated
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Striking to the right of his head, it had cut a gash across his temple--a gash which had been covered as he fell.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The shot had gone high and a little wild.
but in spite of that
From this reading A man may look dead, and yet by no means be dead; a man may be very close to the borderland of death, and yet, if he has not actually crossed, may be dragged back by the strong hands of love.
