used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
acrobaticadjectiveUS /ˌækrəˈbætɪk/
vigorously active
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading It might be thought that one could fall into a loose, sagging net in any position and not be hurt.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It might be thought that one could fall into a loose, sagging net in any position and not be hurt.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It might be thought that one could fall into a loose, sagging net in any position and not be hurt.
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
desperatelyadverbUS /ˈdespərətli/
with great urgency
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
dispelledverbUS /dɪˈspeld/
inflected form of “dispel” — force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
HEARSverbUS /hiːrz/
third-person singular of “hear” — perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
hoarseadjectiveUS /hɔːrs/
deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness or emotion
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
be the source of pain
From this reading It might be thought that one could fall into a loose, sagging net in any position and not be hurt.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But this is not so.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
JOE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
Joe's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading It might be thought that one could fall into a loose, sagging net in any position and not be hurt.
the force of workers available
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It might be thought that one could fall into a loose, sagging net in any position and not be hurt.
netnounUS /net/
a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It might be thought that one could fall into a loose, sagging net in any position and not be hurt.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It might be thought that one could fall into a loose, sagging net in any position and not be hurt.
and nothing more
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
performernounUS /pərˈfɔːrmər/
an entertainer who performs a dramatic or musical work for an audience
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading It might be thought that one could fall into a loose, sagging net in any position and not be hurt.
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
saggingadjectiveUS /ˈsæɡɪŋ/
hanging down (as from exhaustion or weakness)
From this reading It might be thought that one could fall into a loose, sagging net in any position and not be hurt.
screamedverbUS /skriːmd/
past form of “scream” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
shoutsnounUS /ʃaʊts/
plural of “shout” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But this is not so.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
strugglesnounUS /ˈstrʌɡəlz/
plural of “struggle” — an energetic attempt to achieve something
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
strugglingadjectiveUS /ˈstrʌɡəlɪŋ/
engaged in a struggle to overcome especially poverty or obscurity
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It might be thought that one could fall into a loose, sagging net in any position and not be hurt.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
in or at that place or location
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For Joe was struggling desperately in the air to prevent himself from falling head first into the life net.
trapezenounUS /trəˈpiːz/
a swing used by circus acrobats
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
which person or people
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
witnessedverbUS /ˈwɪtnəst/
past form of “witness” — be a witness to
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading JOE HEARS SOMETHING Women and children screamed, and there were hoarse shouts from the men who witnessed Joe's fall.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading At first some thought it was only part of the acrobatic trick, but a single glance at the desperate struggles of the young trapeze performer dispelled this idea.
