used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Half a minute later the lynx strolled away, very deliberately.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Half a minute later the lynx strolled away, very deliberately.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the otter was no longer provocative.
carelessnessnounUS /ˈkerləsnəs/
the quality of not being careful or taking pains
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
deliberatelyadverbUS /dɪˈlɪbərətli/
with intention; in an intentional manner
From this reading Half a minute later the lynx strolled away, very deliberately.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
elaborateadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæbrət/
marked by complexity and richness of detail
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading At the slightest provocation he was ready to return and fight the matter out.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
fortyadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrti/
being ten more than thirty
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
glidedverbUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪd/
past form of “glide” — move smoothly and effortlessly
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
the act of departing
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Half a minute later the lynx strolled away, very deliberately.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Half a minute later the lynx strolled away, very deliberately.
for more time
From this reading But the otter was no longer provocative.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
lynxnounUS /lɪŋks/
a text browser
From this reading Half a minute later the lynx strolled away, very deliberately.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading At the slightest provocation he was ready to return and fight the matter out.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading Half a minute later the lynx strolled away, very deliberately.
not any; not one
From this reading But the otter was no longer provocative.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
otternounUS /ˈɑːtər/
the fur of an otter
From this reading But the otter was no longer provocative.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading At the slightest provocation he was ready to return and fight the matter out.
pacesnounUS /ˈpeɪsɪz/
plural of “pace” — the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
poolnounUS /puːl/
an excavation that is (usually) filled with water
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
provocationnounUS /ˌprɑːvəˈkeɪʃən/
unfriendly behavior that causes anger or resentment
From this reading At the slightest provocation he was ready to return and fight the matter out.
provocativeadjectiveUS /proʊˈvɑːkətɪv/
serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; stimulating discussion or exciting controversy
From this reading But the otter was no longer provocative.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading At the slightest provocation he was ready to return and fight the matter out.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading At the slightest provocation he was ready to return and fight the matter out.
rivalverbUS /ˈraɪvəl/
be equal to in quality or ability
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
slainnounUS /sleɪn/
people who have been slain (as in battle)
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
slidverbUS /slɪd/
inflected form of “slide” — move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading At the slightest provocation he was ready to return and fight the matter out.
snatchedverbUS /snætʃt/
past form of “snatch” — to grasp hastily or eagerly
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
strolledverbUS /stroʊld/
past form of “stroll” — walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
From this reading Half a minute later the lynx strolled away, very deliberately.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Half a minute later the lynx strolled away, very deliberately.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
precisely as stated
From this reading Half a minute later the lynx strolled away, very deliberately.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He swung about, glided back to the pool, slid into it, and snatched up one of the fish which he had already slain.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At the edge of a bush some thirty or forty paces distant he sat down on his tail, and looked around with elaborate carelessness to see what his rival was going to do.
