used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
(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 He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
blindedadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪd/
deprived of sight
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A terrible noise had wakened him from tranquil sleep, a noise right overhead it had seemed.
GRANDFER'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading GRANDFER'S SECRET.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading What had happened?
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading What had happened?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A terrible noise had wakened him from tranquil sleep, a noise right overhead it had seemed.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A terrible noise had wakened him from tranquil sleep, a noise right overhead it had seemed.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading A terrible noise had wakened him from tranquil sleep, a noise right overhead it had seemed.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading A terrible noise had wakened him from tranquil sleep, a noise right overhead it had seemed.
perspirationnounUS /ˌpɜːrspərˈeɪʃən/
salty fluid secreted by sweat glands
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
pitchnounUS /pɪtʃ/
the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
precisely, exactly
From this reading A terrible noise had wakened him from tranquil sleep, a noise right overhead it had seemed.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
move hurridly
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading GRANDFER'S SECRET.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading A terrible noise had wakened him from tranquil sleep, a noise right overhead it had seemed.
shrieknounUS /ʃriːk/
sharp piercing cry
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading A terrible noise had wakened him from tranquil sleep, a noise right overhead it had seemed.
springingverbUS /ˈsprɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading A terrible noise had wakened him from tranquil sleep, a noise right overhead it had seemed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness; but now, all of a sudden, a great light almost blinded him, and, springing out of bed, he made a rush across the room for the door.
tranquiladjectiveUS /ˈtræŋkwəl/
(of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves
From this reading A terrible noise had wakened him from tranquil sleep, a noise right overhead it had seemed.
trembleverbUS /ˈtrembəl/
move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
utteringverbUS /ˈʌtərɪŋ/
-ing form of “utter” — articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
wakened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terrible noise had wakened him from tranquil sleep, a noise right overhead it had seemed.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What had happened?
in the company of; together with
From this reading BILLY started up in bed uttering shriek after shriek, his forehead damp with perspiration, his limbs a tremble, his heart cold with fear.
