used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Then they entwined us and lifted me, senseless as I was, to the light and air.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
Andra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
Baillie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
besetverbUS /bɪˈset/
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
biddingnounUS /ˈbɪdɪŋ/
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
a low-lying region in central France
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
death-grips
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
defendingadjectiveUS /dɪˈfendɪŋ/
attempting to or designed to prevent an opponent from winning or scoring
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
entwinedverbUS /enˈtwaɪnd/
past form of “entwine” — tie or link together
From this reading Then they entwined us and lifted me, senseless as I was, to the light and air.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
held up in the air
From this reading Then they entwined us and lifted me, senseless as I was, to the light and air.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Then they entwined us and lifted me, senseless as I was, to the light and air.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
Mathy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
past form of “obey” — be obedient to
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
on one occasion
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
be obliged to pay or repay
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
exert pressure or force to or upon
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
salvationnounUS /sælˈveɪʃən/
(theology) the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
cut with a saw
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
senselessadjectiveUS /ˈsensləs/
not marked by the use of reason
From this reading Then they entwined us and lifted me, senseless as I was, to the light and air.
SMITWOOD
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
TamnounUS /tæm/
a woolen cap of Scottish origin
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He saw me fall and the press close over me, and, though hard beset himself, he made one effort for my salvation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then they entwined us and lifted me, senseless as I was, to the light and air.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
weaponsnounUS /ˈwepənz/
plural of “weapon” — any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They obeyed his bidding as well as they might, and made a little ring in the centre around me, defending me with their weapons.
produce a literary work
From this reading SMITWOOD That I am alive to this day and fit to write this tale, I owe to William Baillie.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Mathy," he cried, "and Tam and Andra, look after your man and get him up," and then once more he was at death-grips.
