used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was discovered ten minutes after blast off.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
blastverbUS /blæst/
make a strident sound
From this reading It was discovered ten minutes after blast off.
braggedverbUS /bræɡd/
inflected form of “brag” — show off
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
bound or obligated, as under a pledge to a particular cause, action, or attitude
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading It was discovered ten minutes after blast off.
encounterverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntər/
come together
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
make full, also in a metaphorical sense
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
grinningnounUS /ˈɡrɪnɪŋ/
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading Bragged grinning.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was discovered ten minutes after blast off.
cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
killernounUS /ˈkɪlər/
someone who causes the death of a person or animal
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
immediately past
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
held up in the air
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
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 The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
loutnounUS /laʊt/
an awkward stupid person
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
a particular point in time
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
mother-planet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
kill intentionally and with premeditation
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It was discovered ten minutes after blast off.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
Otarkian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
plannedadjectiveUS /plænd/
designed or carried out according to a plan
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
any of several noncommissioned officer ranks in the Army or Air Force or Marines ranking above a corporal
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
transport commercially
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
signedadjectiveUS /saɪnd/
having a handwritten signature
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
upper-hillman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
vacancynounUS /ˈveɪkənsi/
being unoccupied
From this reading The killer--a great lout of an upper-hillman, signed on the last moment to fill a sudden vacancy--bragged of the kill to his sergeant.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The murder was committed ten minutes before the Otarkian ship lifted for the long trip back to the mother-planet.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
a late time of life
From this reading A small desert town didn't seem a likely place to encounter murder--especially one that had been planned on a world light years away!
