used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Jack awoke with a start.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading Jack awoke with a start.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
erstwhileadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrstwaɪl/
belonging to some prior time
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He sat up quickly and turned to find Ray’s eyes fastened upon him.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading He sat up quickly and turned to find Ray’s eyes fastened upon him.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He sat up quickly and turned to find Ray’s eyes fastened upon him.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
HinounUS /haɪ/
an expression of greeting
From this reading “Hi you, Ray!
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
impendingadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpendɪŋ/
close in time; about to occur
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
instinctivelyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈstɪŋktɪvliː/
as a matter of instinct
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
a small worthless amount
From this reading Jack awoke with a start.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
with speed
From this reading He sat up quickly and turned to find Ray’s eyes fastened upon him.
RaynounUS /reɪ/
a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading “Hi you, Ray!
Ray'snounUS /reɪz/
possessive form of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading He sat up quickly and turned to find Ray’s eyes fastened upon him.
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading He sat up quickly and turned to find Ray’s eyes fastened upon him.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Jack awoke with a start.
swordfisherman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The erstwhile swordfisherman was sitting up in bed, his back resting against the head board and his arms clasped about his knees.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He sat up quickly and turned to find Ray’s eyes fastened upon him.
a source of difficulty
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading He sat up quickly and turned to find Ray’s eyes fastened upon him.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He sat up quickly and turned to find Ray’s eyes fastened upon him.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He sat up quickly and turned to find Ray’s eyes fastened upon him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He knew instinctively that some one had been gazing at him while he slept and his feeling was that of impending trouble.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Jack awoke with a start.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Hi you, Ray!
