used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
(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 You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then his eyes met Haddon’s and his lips tightened.
aren't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
put or pin the blame on
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
Bu
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
Cavvy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
creepingnounUS /ˈkriːpɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
decentadjectiveUS /ˈdiːsənt/
socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs with yttrium
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
opinion or judgment
From this reading Then his eyes met Haddon’s and his lips tightened.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading “It was my fault, sir,” he said quickly.
plural of “fellow” — a boy or man
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
flushnounUS /flʌʃ/
the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
destroyed or killed
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
Haddon's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then his eyes met Haddon’s and his lips tightened.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “It was my fault, sir,” he said quickly.
past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “It was my fault, sir,” he said quickly.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading Then his eyes met Haddon’s and his lips tightened.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading Then his eyes met Haddon’s and his lips tightened.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “It was my fault, sir,” he said quickly.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
with speed
From this reading “It was my fault, sir,” he said quickly.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “It was my fault, sir,” he said quickly.
cut with a saw
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
sharknounUS /ʃɑːrk/
any of numerous elongate mostly marine carnivorous fishes with heterocercal caudal fins and tough skin covered with small toothlike scales
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
term of address for a man
From this reading “It was my fault, sir,” he said quickly.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
swimverbUS /swɪm/
travel through water
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
Taggart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then his eyes met Haddon’s and his lips tightened.
they'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
tightenedverbUS /ˈtaɪtənd/
past form of “tighten” — make tight or tighter
From this reading Then his eyes met Haddon’s and his lips tightened.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “The other fellows aren’t to blame; they’d never have gone in but for me.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Cavvy hesitated for an instant, a slow flush creeping up into his face.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “It was my fault, sir,” he said quickly.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You see, I didn’t believe Bu—er—Taggart really saw a shark at all, and I wanted to get one more decent swim before I saw the notice.”
