used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading He slipped sideways along the hall to the front door, which he bolted likewise.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
blownadjectiveUS /bloʊn/
being moved or acted upon by moving air or vapor
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
boltnounUS /boʊlt/
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
boltedverbUS /ˈboʊltəd/
past form of “bolt” — move or jump suddenly
From this reading He slipped sideways along the hall to the front door, which he bolted likewise.
the act of breaking something
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
the organ of sight
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The letter was on the table within a few feet of him.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The letter was on the table within a few feet of him.
fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtəd/
being the right size and shape to fit as desired
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading He slipped sideways along the hall to the front door, which he bolted likewise.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
in like or similar manner
From this reading He slipped sideways along the hall to the front door, which he bolted likewise.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The letter was on the table within a few feet of him.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
sidewaysadverbUS /ˈsaɪdweɪz/
with one side forward or to the front
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading The letter was on the table within a few feet of him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
thumpingnounUS /ˈθʌmpɪŋ/
a heavy dull sound (as made by impact of heavy objects)
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
at the time that
From this reading After a minute, during which nothing happened, his eye caught the letter that had been blown to the floor when he entered the house.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Then he stood for a minute with his heart thumping, listening to hear whether the man were breaking through the window or coming to the door for him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He did not stay for the hand to come round with the gun, but slipped sideways into the hall, closed the door behind him and drew the bolt with which each of those doors was fitted.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The letter was on the table within a few feet of him.
