used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
at or in the front
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
alarm-siren
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading But with Lanterman just ahead, and men all around, he dared not try to slip away.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading But with Lanterman just ahead, and men all around, he dared not try to slip away.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But with Lanterman just ahead, and men all around, he dared not try to slip away.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
past form of “dare” — take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission
From this reading But with Lanterman just ahead, and men all around, he dared not try to slip away.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
embroiledadjectiveUS /emˈbrɔɪld/
deeply involved especially in something complicated
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
gutnounUS /ɡʌt/
the part of the alimentary canal between the stomach and the anus
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But with Lanterman just ahead, and men all around, he dared not try to slip away.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Some of them were surely watching him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
jostledverbUS /ˈdʒɑːsəld/
past form of “jostle” — make one's way by jostling, pushing, or shoving
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
and nothing more
From this reading But with Lanterman just ahead, and men all around, he dared not try to slip away.
Lanterman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But with Lanterman just ahead, and men all around, he dared not try to slip away.
the force of workers available
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
not any; not one
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But with Lanterman just ahead, and men all around, he dared not try to slip away.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
senselessadjectiveUS /ˈsensləs/
not marked by the use of reason
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
move stealthily
From this reading But with Lanterman just ahead, and men all around, he dared not try to slip away.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some of them were surely watching him.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
stumbledverbUS /ˈstʌmbəld/
past form of “stumble” — walk unsteadily
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Some of them were surely watching him.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Some of them were surely watching him.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading But with Lanterman just ahead, and men all around, he dared not try to slip away.
WalesnounUS /weɪlz/
one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; during Roman times the region was known as Cambria
From this reading Wales had no desire at all to become embroiled in this senseless struggle for an empty city.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Some of them were surely watching him.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They ran forward and were suddenly in a narrow street of tall, old business buildings.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a gut of darkness in which the men stumbled and jostled each other, and now they heard an alarm-siren ahead.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But with Lanterman just ahead, and men all around, he dared not try to slip away.
