used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
beclouded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
a youthful male person
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
cedarsnounUS /ˈsiːdərz/
plural of “cedar” — any of numerous trees of the family Cupressaceae that resemble cedars
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
clumpnounUS /klʌmp/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
dawn-hinting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
dewnounUS /duː/
water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "We'd ought to have gone down right off, Jerry, when we saw he wasn't here.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
FultonnounUS /ˈfʊltən/
American inventor who designed the first commercially successful steamboat and the first steam warship (1765-1815)
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
destroyed or killed
From this reading "We'd ought to have gone down right off, Jerry, when we saw he wasn't here.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
grumbledverbUS /ˈɡrʌmbəld/
past form of “grumble” — show one's unhappiness or critical attitude
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "We'd ought to have gone down right off, Jerry, when we saw he wasn't here.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Humph--it's so late now he wouldn't be needing a light.
he'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
He's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "We'd ought to have gone down right off, Jerry, when we saw he wasn't here.
inflected form of “hide” — prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
Humph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Humph--it's so late now he wouldn't be needing a light.
impatientlyadverbUS /ˌɪmˈpeɪʃəntli/
with impatience; in an impatient manner
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Humph--it's so late now he wouldn't be needing a light.
JerrynounUS /ˈdʒeri/
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading "We'd ought to have gone down right off, Jerry, when we saw he wasn't here.
kickingnounUS /ˈkɪkɪŋ/
a rhythmic thrusting movement of the legs as in swimming or calisthenics
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
immediately past
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading "Humph--it's so late now he wouldn't be needing a light.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
lighteningnounUS /ˈlaɪtənɪŋ/
descent of the uterus into the pelvic cavity that occurs late in pregnancy; the fetus is said to have dropped
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
needingverbUS /ˈniːdɪŋ/
-ing form of “need” — require as useful, just, or proper
From this reading "Humph--it's so late now he wouldn't be needing a light.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Humph--it's so late now he wouldn't be needing a light.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
and nothing more
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading "We'd ought to have gone down right off, Jerry, when we saw he wasn't here.
pausingverbUS /ˈpɔːzɪŋ/
-ing form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
peernounUS /pɪr/
a person who is of equal standing with another in a group
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
Ring'snounUS /rɪŋz/
possessive form of “ring” — a characteristic sound
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
cut with a saw
From this reading "We'd ought to have gone down right off, Jerry, when we saw he wasn't here.
scanningnounUS /ˈskænɪŋ/
the process of translating photographs into a digital form that can be recognized by a computer
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
ScoutsnounUS /skaʊts/
plural of “scout” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Humph--it's so late now he wouldn't be needing a light.
stockyadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːki/
having a short and solid form or stature
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
there'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
TodnounUS /tɑːd/
a unit of weight for wool equal to about 28 pounds
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Tod never failed us yet, Frank, and he told me last night that he'd be right on deck."
wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We'd ought to have gone down right off, Jerry, when we saw he wasn't here.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We'd ought to have gone down right off, Jerry, when we saw he wasn't here.
We'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We'd ought to have gone down right off, Jerry, when we saw he wasn't here.
at the time that
From this reading "We'd ought to have gone down right off, Jerry, when we saw he wasn't here.
wouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Humph--it's so late now he wouldn't be needing a light.
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 The Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island Three boys stood impatiently kicking the dew off the tall grass in Ring's back yard, only pausing from their scanning of the beclouded, dawn-hinting sky to peer through the lightening dusk toward the clump of cedars that hid the Fulton house.
but in spite of that
From this reading "He's not up yet, or there'd be a light showing," grumbled the short, stocky one of the three.
