used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A QUEER FIND.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
(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 Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Neither he, nor any of those with him, seemed to be armed.
(used of persons or the military) characterized by having or bearing arms
From this reading Neither he, nor any of those with him, seemed to be armed.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Neither he, nor any of those with him, seemed to be armed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
castingnounUS /ˈkæstɪŋ/
object formed by a mold
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading A QUEER FIND.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading No shots were fired, and Whistler shook his fist upward and shouted maledictions.
fistnounUS /fɪst/
a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)
From this reading No shots were fired, and Whistler shook his fist upward and shouted maledictions.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
HawknounUS /hɔːk/
diurnal bird of prey typically having short rounded wings and a long tail
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Neither he, nor any of those with him, seemed to be armed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading No shots were fired, and Whistler shook his fist upward and shouted maledictions.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
maledictions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No shots were fired, and Whistler shook his fist upward and shouted maledictions.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
mooredverbUS /mʊrd/
past form of “moor” — secure in or as if in a berth or dock
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Neither he, nor any of those with him, seemed to be armed.
nervenounUS /nɜːrv/
any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
not any; not one
From this reading No shots were fired, and Whistler shook his fist upward and shouted maledictions.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Neither he, nor any of those with him, seemed to be armed.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
by chance
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading A QUEER FIND.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Neither he, nor any of those with him, seemed to be armed.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading No shots were fired, and Whistler shook his fist upward and shouted maledictions.
shotsnounUS /ʃɑːts/
plural of “shot” — the act of firing a projectile
From this reading No shots were fired, and Whistler shook his fist upward and shouted maledictions.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading No shots were fired, and Whistler shook his fist upward and shouted maledictions.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
strainedadjectiveUS /streɪnd/
lacking natural ease
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Neither he, nor any of those with him, seemed to be armed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
a source of difficulty
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
directed up
From this reading No shots were fired, and Whistler shook his fist upward and shouted maledictions.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
(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 Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading No shots were fired, and Whistler shook his fist upward and shouted maledictions.
in or at the place that
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
WhistlernounUS /ˈwɪslər/
United States painter (1834-1903)
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
which person or people
From this reading Whistler, who was well in advance of the others, strained every nerve to reach the car, but the _Hawk_ was well in the air before he reached the spot where it had been moored.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Neither he, nor any of those with him, seemed to be armed.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Had the boys been a minute later in casting loose, there would certainly have been trouble--and perhaps they would not have been able to get away at all.
