used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
(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 The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
anteroomnoun
a large entrance or reception room or area
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
attackingadjectiveUS /əˈtækɪŋ/
disposed to attack
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
communicationnounUS /kəˌmjuːnəˈkeɪʃən/
the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
one or the other of two
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
set afire or burning
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
the force of workers available
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
oddsnounUS /ɑːdz/
the likelihood of a thing occurring rather than not occurring
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading THREE TO ONE.
and nothing more
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
plannedadjectiveUS /plænd/
designed or carried out according to a plan
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
ratnounUS /ræt/
any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
shrewdlyadverbUS /ˈʃruːdli/
in a shrewd manner
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
make square
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
stairwaynounUS /ˈsterweɪ/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading THREE TO ONE.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THREE TO ONE.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading A glance round told me the attack had been shrewdly planned indeed.
trapnounUS /træp/
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
except if; if not
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The spot in which we all were was a large square anteroom or landing place, lighted from above.
which person or people
From this reading I was caught like a rat in a trap, and unless I could beat off the men who were thus attacking me at such dangerous odds, I was as good as a dead man.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Four or five doors opened from it into the rooms on either side, and the narrow stairway was the only means of communication with the rest of the house.
