used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
(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 FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
bidingverbUS /ˈbaɪdɪŋ/
-ing form of “bide” — dwell
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
breathlessadjectiveUS /ˈbreθləs/
not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
crouchingverbUS /ˈkraʊtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
doubtfuladjectiveUS /ˈdaʊtfəl/
open to doubt or suspicion
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
elbowsnounUS /ˈelboʊz/
plural of “elbow” — hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
past form of “halt” — cause to stop
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
heathernounUS /ˈheðər/
common Old World heath represented by many varieties; low evergreen grown widely in the northern hemisphere
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
immediately past
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
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 Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
leisurelyadverbUS /ˈliːzərli/
in an unhurried way or at one's convenience
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
lochnounUS /lɑːk/
a long narrow inlet of the sea in Scotland (especially when it is nearly landlocked)
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
MucklenounUS /ˈmʌkəl/
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
musingnounUS /ˈmjuːzɪŋ/
a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
prowlers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
take something away by force or without the consent of the owner
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
Rob's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
schoolmasternounUS /ˈskuːlmæstər/
presiding officer of a school
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
with low volume
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
express in speech
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
tailsnounUS /teɪlz/
formalwear consisting of full evening dress for men
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
carry out
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
arousing affect
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
in the direction of
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
the main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
not known
From this reading FLIGHT Fear of the night, the unknown prowlers in the heather, the escape of the schoolmaster, and above all the danger to his paper, held Rob in a breathless silence.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading At last with a profound sigh Muckle John began to speak to himself in a low, musing voice, like a man troubled about something and doubtful about the course he should take.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
whistlingnounUS /ˈwɪslɪŋ/
the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
From this reading And all the time Muckle John was walking towards him, whistling softly as he came.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading Passing a few yards to the left of the fallen tree behind which Rob was crouching he halted suddenly, and then in a leisurely fashion seated himself on the trunk of it, with the tails of his coat almost touching Rob's cheek.
but in spite of that
From this reading For long enough he remained with his elbows upon his knees staring out upon the loch, and yet Rob never stirred, biding his time.
