used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
(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 Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
any thing at all
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading “I don’t want to break my ranks,” said Bill crossly.
terminate
From this reading “Break ranks!” roared the old soldier, kicking out wildly with his game leg.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
crosslyadverb
in an ill-natured manner
From this reading “I don’t want to break my ranks,” said Bill crossly.
dimlyadverbUS /ˈdɪmli/
in a dim indistinct manner
From this reading The hollow down which they were tumbling was wide and dimly lighted with a soft, spooky glow.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I don’t want to break my ranks,” said Bill crossly.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
ForgeverbUS /fɔːrdʒ/
create by hammering
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading “Break ranks!” roared the old soldier, kicking out wildly with his game leg.
brought together in one place
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading The hollow down which they were tumbling was wide and dimly lighted with a soft, spooky glow.
Grampa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading The hollow down which they were tumbling was wide and dimly lighted with a soft, spooky glow.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I don’t want to break my ranks,” said Bill crossly.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
jerkverbUS /dʒɜːrk/
pull, or move with a sudden movement
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
kickingnounUS /ˈkɪkɪŋ/
a rhythmic thrusting movement of the legs as in swimming or calisthenics
From this reading “Break ranks!” roared the old soldier, kicking out wildly with his game leg.
a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
From this reading “Break ranks!” roared the old soldier, kicking out wildly with his game leg.
set afire or burning
From this reading The hollow down which they were tumbling was wide and dimly lighted with a soft, spooky glow.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “I don’t want to break my ranks,” said Bill crossly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading “Break ranks!” roared the old soldier, kicking out wildly with his game leg.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “Break ranks!” roared the old soldier, kicking out wildly with his game leg.
a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
ranksnounUS /ræŋks/
plural of “rank” — a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another
From this reading “Break ranks!” roared the old soldier, kicking out wildly with his game leg.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
roaredverbUS /rɔːrd/
past form of “roar” — make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles
From this reading “Break ranks!” roared the old soldier, kicking out wildly with his game leg.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “I don’t want to break my ranks,” said Bill crossly.
express in words
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
and nothing more
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The hollow down which they were tumbling was wide and dimly lighted with a soft, spooky glow.
an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading “Break ranks!” roared the old soldier, kicking out wildly with his game leg.
spookyadjectiveUS /ˈspuːki/
unpredictably excitable (especially of horses)
From this reading The hollow down which they were tumbling was wide and dimly lighted with a soft, spooky glow.
stairwaynounUS /ˈsterweɪ/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
TattersnounUS /ˈtætərz/
plural of “tatter” — a small piece of cloth or paper
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I don’t want to break my ranks,” said Bill crossly.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
tumblingnounUS /ˈtʌmbəlɪŋ/
the gymnastic moves of an acrobat
From this reading The hollow down which they were tumbling was wide and dimly lighted with a soft, spooky glow.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
Urtha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading “I don’t want to break my ranks,” said Bill crossly.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The hollow down which they were tumbling was wide and dimly lighted with a soft, spooky glow.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Tatters and Urtha were too startled to say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The hollow down which they were tumbling was wide and dimly lighted with a soft, spooky glow.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The hollow down which they were tumbling was wide and dimly lighted with a soft, spooky glow.
wildlyadverbUS /ˈwaɪldli/
to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree
From this reading “Break ranks!” roared the old soldier, kicking out wildly with his game leg.
windingadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪndɪŋ/
marked by repeated turns and bends
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Prince Forge John of Fire Island Before Grampa and his little company had recovered from the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off.
