used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
(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 I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
any thing at all
From this reading The Hun very well knew that he had caught me unawares and that I could not possibly do anything to defend myself.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
bulletsnounUS /ˈbʊləts/
plural of “bullet” — a projectile that is fired from a gun
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
defendverbUS /dɪˈfend/
argue or speak in defense of
From this reading The Hun very well knew that he had caught me unawares and that I could not possibly do anything to defend myself.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I did not move it an inch for fortune had pointed it directly in line with the oncoming German.
without deviation
From this reading I did not move it an inch for fortune had pointed it directly in line with the oncoming German.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The Hun very well knew that he had caught me unawares and that I could not possibly do anything to defend myself.
feel or handle with the fingers
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
flashingnounUS /ˈflæʃɪŋ/
a short vivid experience
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading I did not move it an inch for fortune had pointed it directly in line with the oncoming German.
a person of German nationality
From this reading I did not move it an inch for fortune had pointed it directly in line with the oncoming German.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
HunnounUS /hʌn/
a member of a nomadic people who invaded Europe in the 4th century
From this reading The Hun very well knew that he had caught me unawares and that I could not possibly do anything to defend myself.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The Hun very well knew that he had caught me unawares and that I could not possibly do anything to defend myself.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading I did not move it an inch for fortune had pointed it directly in line with the oncoming German.
any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading The Hun very well knew that he had caught me unawares and that I could not possibly do anything to defend myself.
nappingadjectiveUS /ˈnæpɪŋ/
not prepared or vigilant
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
absolutely essential
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The Hun very well knew that he had caught me unawares and that I could not possibly do anything to defend myself.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
oncomingadjectiveUS /ˈɔːnkʌmɪŋ/
moving toward one
From this reading I did not move it an inch for fortune had pointed it directly in line with the oncoming German.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
and nothing more
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
particlenounUS /ˈpɑːrtəkəl/
(nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
having a point
From this reading I did not move it an inch for fortune had pointed it directly in line with the oncoming German.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
by chance
From this reading The Hun very well knew that he had caught me unawares and that I could not possibly do anything to defend myself.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
plural of “thousand” — the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
tourrelle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
triggerverbUS /ˈtrɪɡər/
put in motion or move to act
From this reading Like a flash my finger flew to the trigger of my machine gun, which was resting in its ordinary position on the tourrelle.
unawaresadverbUS /ˌʌnəˈwerz/
without forethought or plan; inadvertently
From this reading The Hun very well knew that he had caught me unawares and that I could not possibly do anything to defend myself.
precisely as stated
From this reading The Hun very well knew that he had caught me unawares and that I could not possibly do anything to defend myself.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
(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 The Hun very well knew that he had caught me unawares and that I could not possibly do anything to defend myself.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was so close that had it been necessary for me to move my machine gun one particle of an inch he would have finished with me before I could have fired a single shot.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I had been caught napping and it was now only a question of which one of the thousands of bullets that were flashing all around me that would get me first.
