used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading IN A PERILOUS POSITION.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
(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 Of all the horrible-looking creatures Jack had ever heard of, this one was the worst.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
any thing at all
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
inflected form of “behold” — see with attention
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
a youthful male person
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
comparedverbUS /kəmˈperd/
past form of “compare” — examine and note the similarities or differences of
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
crabnounUS /kræb/
decapod having eyes on short stalks and a broad flattened carapace with a small abdomen folded under the thorax and pincers
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
crablike
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Of all the horrible-looking creatures Jack had ever heard of, this one was the worst.
draggingadjectiveUS /ˈdræɡɪŋ/
marked by a painfully slow and effortful manner
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
at any time
From this reading Of all the horrible-looking creatures Jack had ever heard of, this one was the worst.
exclamationnounUS /ˌekskləˈmeɪʃən/
an abrupt excited utterance
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
faintedverbUS /ˈfeɪntɪd/
past form of “faint” — pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
to the greatest degree or extent; completely or entirely; (“full” in this sense is used as a combining form)
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Of all the horrible-looking creatures Jack had ever heard of, this one was the worst.
hideousadjectiveUS /ˈhɪdiəs/
grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
horrible-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of all the horrible-looking creatures Jack had ever heard of, this one was the worst.
intense and profound fear
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
HowardnounUS /ˈhaʊərd/
English actor of stage and screen (1893-1943)
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN A PERILOUS POSITION.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
a small worthless amount
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
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 As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
mammothadjectiveUS /ˈmæməθ/
so exceedingly large or extensive as to suggest a giant or mammoth
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
monsternounUS /ˈmɑːnstər/
an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Of all the horrible-looking creatures Jack had ever heard of, this one was the worst.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
PERILOUSadjectiveUS /ˈperələs/
fraught with danger
From this reading IN A PERILOUS POSITION.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading IN A PERILOUS POSITION.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
shrieknounUS /ʃriːk/
sharp piercing cry
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Of all the horrible-looking creatures Jack had ever heard of, this one was the worst.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
turtlenounUS /ˈtɜːrtəl/
a sweater or jersey with a high close-fitting collar
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
communicated in words
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle.
which person or people
From this reading The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
the least favorable outcome
From this reading Of all the horrible-looking creatures Jack had ever heard of, this one was the worst.
