used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
ApachenounUS /əˈpætʃi/
any member of Athapaskan tribes that migrated to the southwestern desert (from Arizona to Texas and south into Mexico); fought a losing battle from 1861 to 1886 with the United States and were resettled in Oklahoma
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The big missile grazed past the dodger.
cliffnounUS /klɪf/
a steep high face of rock
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
crashedverbUS /kræʃt/
past form of “crash” — fall or come down violently
From this reading Three or four yards farther down it crashed upon the ladder.
dodgernounUS /ˈdɑːdʒər/
a shifty deceptive person
From this reading The big missile grazed past the dodger.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading Three or four yards farther down it crashed upon the ladder.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Three or four yards farther down it crashed upon the ladder.
FRYINGnounUS /ˈfraɪɪŋ/
cooking in fat or oil in a pan or griddle
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
grazedadjectiveUS /ɡreɪzd/
scraped or touched lightly in passing
From this reading The big missile grazed past the dodger.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Three or four yards farther down it crashed upon the ladder.
laddernounUS /ˈlædər/
steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
immediately past
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
missilenounUS /ˈmɪsəl/
a rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosives; may be ballistic or directed by remote control
From this reading The big missile grazed past the dodger.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading With the quickness of a puma he swung off to one side.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading With the quickness of a puma he swung off to one side.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Three or four yards farther down it crashed upon the ladder.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
PANverbUS /pæn/
make a sweeping movement
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The big missile grazed past the dodger.
pumanounUS /ˈpuːmə/
large American feline resembling a lion
From this reading With the quickness of a puma he swung off to one side.
quicknessnounUS /ˈkwɪknəs/
skillful performance or ability without difficulty
From this reading With the quickness of a puma he swung off to one side.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
rungsnounUS /rʌŋz/
plural of “rung” — a crosspiece between the legs of a chair
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
move hurridly
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading With the quickness of a puma he swung off to one side.
smashedadjectiveUS /smæʃt/
very drunk
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading With the quickness of a puma he swung off to one side.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Three or four yards farther down it crashed upon the ladder.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading With the quickness of a puma he swung off to one side.
the upper part of anything
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
upwardadjectiveUS /ˈʌpwərd/
directed up
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
at the time that
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
which person or people
From this reading OUT OF THE FRYING PAN---- Before the falling Apache smashed down upon the cliff foot the man who had last climbed the long ladder made an upward rush.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With the quickness of a puma he swung off to one side.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading He was within half a dozen rungs of the top when a large round object rolled out of the doorway.
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 Three or four yards farther down it crashed upon the ladder.
