used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
(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 A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
alligatornounUS /ˈæləɡeɪtər/
leather made from alligator's hide
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
anklenounUS /ˈæŋkəl/
a gliding joint between the distal ends of the tibia and fibula and the proximal end of the talus
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
appalledadjectiveUS /əˈpɔːld/
struck with fear, dread, or consternation
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
exhale hard
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
BobbynounUS /ˈbɑːbi/
an informal term for a British policeman
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
of short duration or distance
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
brutenounUS /bruːt/
a cruelly rapacious person
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
dealtverbUS /delt/
inflected form of “deal” — act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
ferociousadjectiveUS /fərˈoʊʃəs/
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
Fred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
Fred's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
provoking horror
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
menaceverbUS /ˈmenəs/
pose a threat to; present a danger to
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
a particular point in time
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
monsternounUS /ˈmɑːnstər/
an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
pickingnounUS /ˈpɪkɪŋ/
the quantity of a crop that is harvested
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
preynounUS /preɪ/
a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
rootedadjectiveUS /ˈruːtəd/
absolutely still
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
snoutnounUS /snaʊt/
a long projecting or anterior elongation of an animal's head; especially the nose
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
move hurridly
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
put, fix, force, or implant
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
stingingnounUS /ˈstɪŋɪŋ/
a kind of pain; something as sudden and painful as being stung
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
StunnedadjectiveUS /stʌnd/
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
tracksnounUS /træks/
plural of “track” — a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading For a brief second Bobby and Lee stood rooted in their tracks, appalled at the horrible menace to their friend.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)
From this reading Then, quick as a flash, Bobby leaped toward the ugly monster, picking up the stick Lee had been using for hunting eggs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading A TERRIBLE MOMENT All three boys jumped for safety, but Fred’s ankle turned in the soft sand, and he fell, striking his head against a stone as he went down.
at the time that
From this reading The alligator was not ten feet from Fred when Bobby leaped in front of it, and using the stick as a club, dealt the ferocious brute a stinging blow on the end of its snout.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Stunned, he lay an easy prey for the alligator, that made for him with all the speed of which it was capable.
