used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading LARAMIE COUNTS FIVE There was not a chance of escape.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading Laramie's left arm was resting on the bar.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
baitedverbUS /ˈbeɪtɪd/
past form of “bait” — harass with persistent criticism or carping
From this reading Feeling that he had his enemy dead to rights, Stone baited him:
a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading Laramie's left arm was resting on the bar.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading LARAMIE COUNTS FIVE There was not a chance of escape.
COUNTSnounUS /kaʊnts/
plural of “count” — the total number counted
From this reading LARAMIE COUNTS FIVE There was not a chance of escape.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading Feeling that he had his enemy dead to rights, Stone baited him:
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
an opposing military force
From this reading Feeling that he had his enemy dead to rights, Stone baited him:
the act of escaping physically
From this reading LARAMIE COUNTS FIVE There was not a chance of escape.
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
fataladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtəl/
bringing death
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading Feeling that he had his enemy dead to rights, Stone baited him:
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading LARAMIE COUNTS FIVE There was not a chance of escape.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Feeling that he had his enemy dead to rights, Stone baited him:
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
LARAMIEnounUS /ˈlerəmi/
a university town in southeast Wyoming
From this reading LARAMIE COUNTS FIVE There was not a chance of escape.
Laramie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laramie's left arm was resting on the bar.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Laramie's left arm was resting on the bar.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading LARAMIE COUNTS FIVE There was not a chance of escape.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading LARAMIE COUNTS FIVE There was not a chance of escape.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Laramie's left arm was resting on the bar.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
overhangnounUS /ˈoʊvərhæŋ/
projection that extends beyond or hangs over something else
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
compacted by ironing
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Laramie's left arm was resting on the bar.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
plural of “right” — an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature
From this reading Feeling that he had his enemy dead to rights, Stone baited him:
hit with a missile from a weapon
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
stomachnounUS /ˈstʌmək/
an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
carry out
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Feeling that he had his enemy dead to rights, Stone baited him:
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Laramie's left arm was resting on the bar.
in or at that place or location
From this reading LARAMIE COUNTS FIVE There was not a chance of escape.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
UnderprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading LARAMIE COUNTS FIVE There was not a chance of escape.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Under the overhang, Stone, as he faced Laramie, now pressed the gun with his right arm, into Laramie's stomach.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading For Laramie to attempt to knock it away with his own right hand would be to take an almost certainly fatal chance; while for any friend of his to touch Stone or shoot him would mean certain death to Laramie.
