used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
ADAMnounUS /ˈædəm/
(Old Testament) in Judeo-Christian mythology; the first man and the husband of Eve and the progenitor of the human race
From this reading ADAM BESIEGED.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
(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 One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The only way to find out was to go in and see; and this Adam prepared to do.
ascertainverbUS /ˌæsərˈteɪn/
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
BESIEGEDadjectiveUS /bɪˈsiːdʒd/
surrounded by hostile forces
From this reading ADAM BESIEGED.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
collectingnounUS /kəˈlektɪŋ/
the act of gathering something together
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
dislodgedverbUS /dɪˈslɑːdʒd/
past form of “dislodge” — remove or force out from a position
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The only way to find out was to go in and see; and this Adam prepared to do.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
an opposing military force
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading The only way to find out was to go in and see; and this Adam prepared to do.
start firing a weapon
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The only way to find out was to go in and see; and this Adam prepared to do.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
industriouslyadverb
in an industrious manner
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
and nothing more
From this reading The only way to find out was to go in and see; and this Adam prepared to do.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The only way to find out was to go in and see; and this Adam prepared to do.
passage-way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
piledverbUS /paɪld/
past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading The only way to find out was to go in and see; and this Adam prepared to do.
one of four equal parts
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The only way to find out was to go in and see; and this Adam prepared to do.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
give something useful or necessary to
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
in or at that place or location
From this reading One enemy had been dislodged by the smoke, but there might be others in there for all he knew.
a special situation
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The only way to find out was to go in and see; and this Adam prepared to do.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The only way to find out was to go in and see; and this Adam prepared to do.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading The next thing to be done was to ascertain whether or not the cave was a safe place for them to camp during the night.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading For a quarter of an hour after Frank left him, Adam worked industriously, collecting a supply of wood for the fire, which he piled at the entrance to the passage-way.
