used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
(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 In a few moments it would be all over with him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Therefore the trapper ran up to Brother Bruin and made a lunge at his side.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The knife struck him far back, and did not cause a mortal wound.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In a few moments it would be all over with him.
have
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
beltnounUS /belt/
endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
bitingadjectiveUS /ˈbaɪtɪŋ/
capable of wounding
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading Therefore the trapper ran up to Brother Bruin and made a lunge at his side.
BruinnounUS /ˈbruːɪn/
a conventional name for a bear used in tales following usage in the old epic “Reynard the Fox”
From this reading Therefore the trapper ran up to Brother Bruin and made a lunge at his side.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading The knife struck him far back, and did not cause a mortal wound.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The knife struck him far back, and did not cause a mortal wound.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
apart from; not including
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading The knife struck him far back, and did not cause a mortal wound.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading In a few moments it would be all over with him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
lungenounUS /lʌndʒ/
the act of moving forward suddenly
From this reading Therefore the trapper ran up to Brother Bruin and made a lunge at his side.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Therefore the trapper ran up to Brother Bruin and made a lunge at his side.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
Meshack
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading In a few moments it would be all over with him.
subject to death
From this reading The knife struck him far back, and did not cause a mortal wound.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
not any; not one
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The knife struck him far back, and did not cause a mortal wound.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In a few moments it would be all over with him.
petsnounUS /pets/
plural of “pet” — a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
protectingadjectiveUS /prəˈtektɪŋ/
shielding (or designed to shield) against harm or discomfort
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Therefore the trapper ran up to Brother Bruin and made a lunge at his side.
severelyadverbUS /səˈvɪrli/
to a severe or serious degree
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Therefore the trapper ran up to Brother Bruin and made a lunge at his side.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading The knife struck him far back, and did not cause a mortal wound.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
for that reason; as a result
From this reading Therefore the trapper ran up to Brother Bruin and made a lunge at his side.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Therefore the trapper ran up to Brother Bruin and made a lunge at his side.
trappernounUS /ˈtræpər/
someone who sets traps for animals (usually to obtain their furs)
From this reading Therefore the trapper ran up to Brother Bruin and made a lunge at his side.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Therefore the trapper ran up to Brother Bruin and made a lunge at his side.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was now or never, for the bear had one of them on the ground and was biting him severely.
weedsnounUS /wiːdz/
a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning
From this reading Meshack had dropped the gun in the weeds, and had no means of protecting his pets except by means of a large knife in his belt.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In a few moments it would be all over with him.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading In a few moments it would be all over with him.
an injury to living tissue (especially an injury involving a cut or break in the skin)
From this reading The knife struck him far back, and did not cause a mortal wound.
