used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
AlnounUS /æl/
a silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading The pleasurable, comfortable, warm feeling began spreading over him, the way it always did.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
barrelnounUS /ˈbærəl/
a tube through which a bullet travels when a gun is fired
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The pleasurable, comfortable, warm feeling began spreading over him, the way it always did.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The older man stopped and squinted, but not suspiciously, even now.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
car'snounUS /kɑːrz/
possessive form of “car” — a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading The pleasurable, comfortable, warm feeling began spreading over him, the way it always did.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The pleasurable, comfortable, warm feeling began spreading over him, the way it always did.
doesn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
divisible by two
From this reading The older man stopped and squinted, but not suspiciously, even now.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading The pleasurable, comfortable, warm feeling began spreading over him, the way it always did.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
gunmannounUS /ˈɡʌnmən/
a professional killer who uses a gun
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The pleasurable, comfortable, warm feeling began spreading over him, the way it always did.
hiredadjectiveUS /ˈhaɪərd/
having services engaged for a fee
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
hiresnounUS /ˈhaɪərz/
plural of “hire” — a newly hired employee
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
ledgenounUS /ledʒ/
a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under water
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The older man stopped and squinted, but not suspiciously, even now.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
as might be expected
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The older man stopped and squinted, but not suspiciously, even now.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The older man stopped and squinted, but not suspiciously, even now.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading The older man stopped and squinted, but not suspiciously, even now.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The pleasurable, comfortable, warm feeling began spreading over him, the way it always did.
pleasurableadjectiveUS /ˈpleʒərəbəl/
affording satisfaction or pleasure
From this reading The pleasurable, comfortable, warm feeling began spreading over him, the way it always did.
Prantera
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
Identical; not different.
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
cut with a saw
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
shotgunnounUS /ˈʃɑːtɡʌn/
firearm that is a double-barreled smoothbore shoulder weapon for firing shot at short ranges
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
with low volume
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
spreadingnounUS /ˈspredɪŋ/
process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space
From this reading The pleasurable, comfortable, warm feeling began spreading over him, the way it always did.
squinted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The older man stopped and squinted, but not suspiciously, even now.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading The older man stopped and squinted, but not suspiciously, even now.
suspiciouslyadverbUS /səˈspɪʃəsli/
with suspicion
From this reading The older man stopped and squinted, but not suspiciously, even now.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Something much the same can be said of the gunman, too...._ Joe Prantera called softly, "Al."
unlikelyadjectiveUS /ənˈlaɪkli/
not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading The pleasurable, comfortable, warm feeling began spreading over him, the way it always did.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The pleasurable, comfortable, warm feeling began spreading over him, the way it always did.
any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
which person or people
From this reading _A gun is an interesting weapon; it can be hired, of course, and naturally doesn't care who hires it.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The evening was dark, it was unlikely that the other even saw the circle of steel that was the mouth of the shotgun barrel, now resting on the car's window ledge.
