used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
at or in the front
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Antoine strained his eyes and craned his neck to see who it could be.
Antoine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Antoine strained his eyes and craned his neck to see who it could be.
from appearances alone
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Antoine strained his eyes and craned his neck to see who it could be.
have
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
bleedingnounUS /ˈbliːdɪŋ/
the flow of blood from a ruptured blood vessel
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
bullsnounUS /bʊlz/
plural of “bull” — uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Antoine strained his eyes and craned his neck to see who it could be.
cranedverbUS /kreɪnd/
past form of “crane” — stretch (the neck) so as to see better
From this reading Antoine strained his eyes and craned his neck to see who it could be.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
desperatelyadverbUS /ˈdespərətli/
with great urgency
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
psychological suffering
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Antoine strained his eyes and craned his neck to see who it could be.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
grizzlynounUS /ˈɡrɪzli/
powerful brownish-yellow bear of the uplands of western North America
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The herd had now thoroughly pervaded the timber, and the bear was likewise hemmed in.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
hemmedverbUS /hemd/
inflected form of “hem” — fold over and sew together to provide with a hem
From this reading The herd had now thoroughly pervaded the timber, and the bear was likewise hemmed in.
herdnounUS /hɜːrd/
a group of cattle or sheep or other domestic mammals all of the same kind that are herded by humans
From this reading The herd had now thoroughly pervaded the timber, and the bear was likewise hemmed in.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
hoarseadjectiveUS /hɔːrs/
deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness or emotion
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
huggingnounUS /ˈhʌɡɪŋ/
affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Antoine strained his eyes and craned his neck to see who it could be.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
in like or similar manner
From this reading The herd had now thoroughly pervaded the timber, and the bear was likewise hemmed in.
limbnounUS /lɪm/
one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
maintainverbUS /meɪnˈteɪn/
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading Antoine strained his eyes and craned his neck to see who it could be.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The herd had now thoroughly pervaded the timber, and the bear was likewise hemmed in.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
detected by instinct or inference rather than by recognized perceptual cues
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
pervadedverbUS /pərˈveɪdɪd/
past form of “pervade” — spread or diffuse through
From this reading The herd had now thoroughly pervaded the timber, and the bear was likewise hemmed in.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
refugenounUS /ˈrefjuːdʒ/
a safe place
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Antoine strained his eyes and craned his neck to see who it could be.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
be standing; be upright
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
strainedadjectiveUS /streɪnd/
lacking natural ease
From this reading Antoine strained his eyes and craned his neck to see who it could be.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading The herd had now thoroughly pervaded the timber, and the bear was likewise hemmed in.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Through an opening in the branches ahead he perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an inclined limb and hugging it desperately to maintain his position.
timbernounUS /ˈtɪmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading The herd had now thoroughly pervaded the timber, and the bear was likewise hemmed in.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
unaccustomedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnəˈkʌstəmd/
unusual or unfamiliar
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
Wawnoun
the 6th letter of the Hebrew alphabet
From this reading “Waw, waw, waw!” was the hoarse cry that came to his ears, apparently from a human being in distress.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
which person or people
From this reading Antoine strained his eyes and craned his neck to see who it could be.
woundsnounUS /wuːndz/
plural of “wound” — an injury to living tissue (especially an injury involving a cut or break in the skin)
From this reading He had taken to his unaccustomed refuge after making a brave stand against several bulls, one of which lay dead near by, while he himself was bleeding from many wounds.
