used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A STRANGE BURGLAR What was it that had awakened Billie Bradley?
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
aroused or activated
From this reading A STRANGE BURGLAR What was it that had awakened Billie Bradley?
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Her scalp crept and her hair began to stand on end.
Billie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A STRANGE BURGLAR What was it that had awakened Billie Bradley?
BradleynounUS /ˈbrædli/
United States politician who was elected the first black mayor of Los Angeles (1917-1998)
From this reading A STRANGE BURGLAR What was it that had awakened Billie Bradley?
BURGLARnounUS /ˈbɝː.ɡlɚ/
A person who commits illegal entry into a building with intent to steal valuable treasures.
From this reading A STRANGE BURGLAR What was it that had awakened Billie Bradley?
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Nearer, nearer came the stealthy padding, till Billie realized it had reached the landing.
clothing in general
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
clutchnounUS /klʌtʃ/
the act of grasping
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
creepingnounUS /ˈkriːpɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Her scalp crept and her hair began to stand on end.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Her scalp crept and her hair began to stand on end.
a young female
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A STRANGE BURGLAR What was it that had awakened Billie Bradley?
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Her scalp crept and her hair began to stand on end.
only a very short time before
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then in a panic she realized that whatever it was had started upstairs.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A STRANGE BURGLAR What was it that had awakened Billie Bradley?
landingnounUS /ˈlændɪŋ/
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading Nearer, nearer came the stealthy padding, till Billie realized it had reached the landing.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading Nearer, nearer came the stealthy padding, till Billie realized it had reached the landing.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Her scalp crept and her hair began to stand on end.
paddingnounUS /ˈpædɪŋ/
artifact consisting of soft or resilient material used to fill or give shape or protect or add comfort
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
panicnounUS /ˈpænɪk/
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading Then in a panic she realized that whatever it was had started upstairs.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Nearer, nearer came the stealthy padding, till Billie realized it had reached the landing.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading Then in a panic she realized that whatever it was had started upstairs.
scalpnounUS /skælp/
the skin that covers the top of the head
From this reading Her scalp crept and her hair began to stand on end.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
be standing; be upright
From this reading Her scalp crept and her hair began to stand on end.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Then in a panic she realized that whatever it was had started upstairs.
stealthyadjectiveUS /ˈstelθi/
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading A STRANGE BURGLAR What was it that had awakened Billie Bradley?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A STRANGE BURGLAR What was it that had awakened Billie Bradley?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then in a panic she realized that whatever it was had started upstairs.
tighteradjectiveUS /ˈtaɪtər/
comparative of “tight” — closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
up to a particular time
From this reading Nearer, nearer came the stealthy padding, till Billie realized it had reached the landing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Her scalp crept and her hair began to stand on end.
on a floor above
From this reading Then in a panic she realized that whatever it was had started upstairs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A STRANGE BURGLAR What was it that had awakened Billie Bradley?
used to ask for information about something
From this reading A STRANGE BURGLAR What was it that had awakened Billie Bradley?
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading Then in a panic she realized that whatever it was had started upstairs.
at the time that
From this reading Hardly had the girl asked herself that question when she heard it--a padding, stealthy, creeping noise that made her clutch the bed clothes and draw them tighter about her.
