used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
(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 He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The boys had fastened on him as wolves fasten on a deer.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The three boys plunged at the man together.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The three boys plunged at the man together.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
deernounUS /dɪr/
distinguished from Bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers
From this reading The boys had fastened on him as wolves fasten on a deer.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
plural of “effort” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading The hunter's efforts were feeble, and the boys had no trouble in over-powering him.
fastenverbUS /ˈfæsən/
cause to be firmly attached
From this reading The boys had fastened on him as wolves fasten on a deer.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading The boys had fastened on him as wolves fasten on a deer.
pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness
From this reading The hunter's efforts were feeble, and the boys had no trouble in over-powering him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The boys had fastened on him as wolves fasten on a deer.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The boys had fastened on him as wolves fasten on a deer.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
hunter'snounUS /ˈhʌntərz/
possessive form of “hunter” — someone who hunts game
From this reading The hunter's efforts were feeble, and the boys had no trouble in over-powering him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
kickingnounUS /ˈkɪkɪŋ/
a rhythmic thrusting movement of the legs as in swimming or calisthenics
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The three boys plunged at the man together.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
not any; not one
From this reading The hunter's efforts were feeble, and the boys had no trouble in over-powering him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The boys had fastened on him as wolves fasten on a deer.
over-powering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hunter's efforts were feeble, and the boys had no trouble in over-powering him.
past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading The three boys plunged at the man together.
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
snowshoesnounUS /ˈsnoʊʃuːz/
plural of “snowshoe” — a device to help you walk on deep snow; a lightweight frame shaped like a racquet is strengthened with cross pieces and contains a network of thongs; one is worn on each foot
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
stifledadjectiveUS /ˈstaɪfəld/
held in check with difficulty
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
strugglingadjectiveUS /ˈstrʌɡəlɪŋ/
engaged in a struggle to overcome especially poverty or obscurity
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The three boys plunged at the man together.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The three boys plunged at the man together.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading The three boys plunged at the man together.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
a source of difficulty
From this reading The hunter's efforts were feeble, and the boys had no trouble in over-powering him.
communicated in words
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He stopped short, and made a motion to lower his rifle; but he was too late.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He uttered a single, stifled cry; then they all went down together in a mass of kicking snowshoes and struggling limbs.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The hunter's efforts were feeble, and the boys had no trouble in over-powering him.
wolvesnounUS /wʊlvz/
plural of “wolf” — any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs
From this reading The boys had fastened on him as wolves fasten on a deer.
