used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
in addition
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
anxious-eyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
batteredadjectiveUS /ˈbætərd/
damaged by blows or hard usage
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading The quicker a snake gits killed the better.
business-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
centeredadjectiveUS /ˈsentərd/
being or placed in the center
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
clean-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
clutchedverbUS /klʌtʃt/
past form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
disorderedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsɔːrdərd/
thrown into a state of disarray or confusion
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
a long fixed look
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
a young female
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
gits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The quicker a snake gits killed the better.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading The quicker a snake gits killed the better.
kneltverbUS /nelt/
inflected form of “kneel” — rest one's weight on one's knees
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
the force of workers available
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
not in physical motion
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
muzzle-loader
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
quickeradverbUS /ˈkwɪkər/
more quickly
From this reading The quicker a snake gits killed the better.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
shot-riddled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
snakenounUS /sneɪk/
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading The quicker a snake gits killed the better.
not in physical motion
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
straightenedverbUS /ˈstreɪtənd/
past form of “straighten” — straighten up or out; make straight
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Their gaze centered on another motionless form a few feet away, its thin hands still clutched around a battered old muzzle-loader.
a special situation
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
WardnounUS /wɔːrd/
a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “Well,” said Ward in business-like tones, “this is what I call a good clean-up.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading OUT OF THE PAST Three men straightened up and turned slowly away from a shot-riddled thing which also had been a man.
belonging to which person
From this reading Beside that silent figure knelt an anxious-eyed girl, down whose shoulders hung disordered red hair.
