used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Liu had not heard his drum tap for an hour.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
in a state of sleep
From this reading At the other end sat the watchman with his lantern, presumably asleep.
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the other end sat the watchman with his lantern, presumably asleep.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
cautionnounUS /ˈkɑːʃən/
the trait of being cautious; being attentive to possible danger
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
drumnounUS /drʌm/
a musical percussion instrument; usually consists of a hollow cylinder with a membrane stretched across each end
From this reading Liu had not heard his drum tap for an hour.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading At the other end sat the watchman with his lantern, presumably asleep.
be identical or equivalent to
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Liu had not heard his drum tap for an hour.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Liu had not heard his drum tap for an hour.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At the other end sat the watchman with his lantern, presumably asleep.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Liu had not heard his drum tap for an hour.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
lanternnounUS /ˈlæntərn/
light in a transparent protective case
From this reading At the other end sat the watchman with his lantern, presumably asleep.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
without good reason
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
Liu
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Liu had not heard his drum tap for an hour.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading At the other end sat the watchman with his lantern, presumably asleep.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
presumablyadverbUS /prəˈzuːməbli/
by reasonable assumption
From this reading At the other end sat the watchman with his lantern, presumably asleep.
proportionsnounUS /prəˈpɔːrʃənz/
plural of “proportion” — the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is divided by the magnitude of the whole
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
proprietor'snounUS /prəˈpraɪətərz/
possessive form of “proprietor” — (law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
with low volume
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
reassuringadjectiveUS /ˌriːəˈʃʊrɪŋ/
restoring confidence and relieving anxiety
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading At the other end sat the watchman with his lantern, presumably asleep.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
tapverbUS /tæp/
cut a female screw thread with a tap
From this reading Liu had not heard his drum tap for an hour.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
verandahnoun
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The verandah was a dozen feet from the ground, and the dark passage below, leading to the gate, was deserted.
watchmannounUS /ˈwɑːtʃmən/
a guard who keeps watch
From this reading At the other end sat the watchman with his lantern, presumably asleep.
at the time that
From this reading When the proprietor's breathing had assumed reassuring proportions, Liu opened the door cautiously, and stepped lightly into the room.
wide-openadjective
open wide
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He then locked it with equal caution, slipped quietly across to the verandah, and passed out through the long, wide-open windows.
