used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
apprehensionnounUS /ˌæprɪˈhenʃən/
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading Arthur and I, shaken by the suddenness of the transition, waited in cold apprehension.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)
From this reading Arthur and I, shaken by the suddenness of the transition, waited in cold apprehension.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
bellowingnounUS /ˈbeloʊɪŋ/
a very loud utterance (like the sound of an animal)
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Arthur and I, shaken by the suddenness of the transition, waited in cold apprehension.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading Arthur and I, shaken by the suddenness of the transition, waited in cold apprehension.
colossaladjectiveUS /kəˈlɑːsəl/
so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
cracksnounUS /kræks/
plural of “crack” — a long narrow opening
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
crushingadjectiveUS /ˈkrʌʃɪŋ/
physically or spiritually devastating; often used in combination
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
causing or capable of causing death
From this reading The quiet was deadly.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
drumsnounUS /drʌmz/
plural of “drum” — a musical percussion instrument; usually consists of a hollow cylinder with a membrane stretched across each end
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
firearmsnounUS /ˈfaɪərɑːrmz/
plural of “firearm” — a portable gun
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
hold firmly
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Arthur and I, shaken by the suddenness of the transition, waited in cold apprehension.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Arthur and I, shaken by the suddenness of the transition, waited in cold apprehension.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
plural of “native” — an indigenous person who was born in a particular place
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading The quiet was deadly.
a feeling of intense anger
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
riflesnounUS /ˈraɪfəlz/
plural of “rifle” — a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
roaringnounUS /ˈrɔːrɪŋ/
a deep prolonged loud noise
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
shaggyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæɡi/
used of hair; thick and poorly groomed
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
shakenadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪkən/
disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock
From this reading Arthur and I, shaken by the suddenness of the transition, waited in cold apprehension.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
suddennessnounUS /ˈsʌdənnəs/
the quality of happening with headlong haste or without warning
From this reading Arthur and I, shaken by the suddenness of the transition, waited in cold apprehension.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The quiet was deadly.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
transitionnounUS /trænˈzɪʃən/
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading Arthur and I, shaken by the suddenness of the transition, waited in cold apprehension.
UNMASKEDverbUS /ənˈmæskt/
past form of “unmask” — reveal the true nature of
From this reading UNMASKED.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Arthur and I, shaken by the suddenness of the transition, waited in cold apprehension.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The quiet was deadly.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
in or at the place that
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Would the door from the rear of the house burst open and the shaggy beast rage into the room, its colossal arms crushing whatever might come within its grasp?
yellingnounUS /ˈjelɪŋ/
uttering a loud inarticulate cry as of pain or excitement
From this reading Where five minutes before had been the yelling of the natives and the roaring of the drums, the sharp cracks of our rifles, and the bellowing of the native firearms, now there was not a sound.
