used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
in the past
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Latest thing in an up-to-the-minute Savage," he told her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
automaticadjectiveUS /ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk/
operating with minimal human intervention; independent of external control
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
bellynounUS /ˈbeli/
the region of the body of a vertebrate between the thorax and the pelvis
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
bouldernounUS /ˈboʊldər/
a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
brassnounUS /bræs/
an alloy of copper and zinc
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
brushverbUS /brʌʃ/
rub with a brush, or as if with a brush
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
bushnounUS /bʊʃ/
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
cartridgesnounUS /ˈkɑːrtrədʒəz/
plural of “cartridge” — ammunition consisting of a cylindrical casing containing an explosive charge and a bullet; fired from a rifle or handgun
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
clumpnounUS /klʌmp/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/
treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
ejectornoun
a person who ousts or supplants someone else
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
eloquentlyadverbUS /ˈeləkwəntli/
with eloquence
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
fringenounUS /frɪndʒ/
the outside boundary or surface of something
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Latest thing in an up-to-the-minute Savage," he told her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "Latest thing in an up-to-the-minute Savage," he told her.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
lainverbUS /leɪn/
inflected form of “lie” — be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
LatestadjectiveUS /ˈleɪtəst/
up to the immediate present; most recent or most up-to-date
From this reading "Latest thing in an up-to-the-minute Savage," he told her.
LeenounUS /liː/
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading Lee picked up one of the shells.
for more time
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
English businessman who created a retail chain (1888-1964)
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
not any; not one
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Lee picked up one of the shells.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/
being on the outside or further from a center
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading Lee picked up one of the shells.
proclaimedadjectiveUS /proʊˈkleɪmd/
declared publicly; made widely known
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading "Latest thing in an up-to-the-minute Savage," he told her.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
shellsnounUS /ʃelz/
plural of “shell” — ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading Lee picked up one of the shells.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
softeradjectiveUS /ˈsɑːftər/
comparative of “soft” — yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
in or at that place or location
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
a special situation
From this reading "Latest thing in an up-to-the-minute Savage," he told her.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
toesnounUS /toʊz/
plural of “toe” — one of the digits of the foot
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
twigsnounUS /twɪɡz/
plural of “twig” — a small branch or division of a branch (especially a terminal division); usually applied to branches of the current or preceding year
From this reading Broken twigs showed it, a small bush crushed down told of it, the marks of his toes in some of the softer soil proclaimed it eloquently.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Lee picked up one of the shells.
up-to-the-minuteadjective
up to the immediate present; most recent or most up-to-date
From this reading "Latest thing in an up-to-the-minute Savage," he told her.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
in or at the place that
From this reading And, had other signs been required, there they were: two empty brass cartridges where the automatic ejector had thrown them several feet away.
the day immediately before today
From this reading In the clump of brush, close to the outer fringe, behind a low, broad boulder, a man had lain on his belly no longer ago than yesterday.
