used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
arm'snounUS /ɑːrmz/
possessive form of “arm” — a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
automobilenounUS /ˈɔːtəmoʊbiːl/
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
climbingnounUS /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/
an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
extinguishedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/
of a conditioned response; caused to die out because of the absence or withdrawal of reinforcement
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
flickeringadjectiveUS /ˈflɪkərɪŋ/
shining unsteadily
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading "There's the gray roadster," whispered Hugh.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
the act of retaining something
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
Hugh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
lanternnounUS /ˈlæntərn/
light in a transparent protective case
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
obstructionnounUS /əbˈstrʌkʃən/
any structure that makes progress difficult
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
OCCURRENCEnounUS /əˈkɜːrəns/
an event that happens
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
and nothing more
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
overcoatsnounUS /ˈoʊvərkoʊts/
plural of “overcoat” — a heavy coat worn over clothes in winter
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
porchnounUS /pɔːrtʃ/
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
in the near future
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
with speed
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
roadsternounUS /ˈroʊdstər/
an open automobile having a front seat and a rumble seat
From this reading "There's the gray roadster," whispered Hugh.
searchlightsnounUS /ˈsɜːrtʃlaɪts/
plural of “searchlight” — a light source with reflectors that projects a beam of light in a particular direction
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
spiedverbUS /spaɪd/
inflected form of “spy” — catch sight of
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In the flickering light Bob and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
There's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There's the gray roadster," whispered Hugh.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished.
at the time that
From this reading The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading "There's the gray roadster," whispered Hugh.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A STRANGE OCCURRENCE The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high.
