used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
afireadjectiveUS /əˈfaɪr/
lighted up by or as by fire or flame
From this reading The running-shed was afire.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Healy paused but an instant.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
boomedverbUS /buːmd/
past form of “boom” — make a resonant sound, like artillery
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Healy paused but an instant.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
placed crosswise
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
curlverbUS /kɜːrl/
form a curl, curve, or kink
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The thing to do was to get the engines out, and Healy was the man to do it.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
enginesnounUS /ˈendʒənz/
plural of “engine” — motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work
From this reading The thing to do was to get the engines out, and Healy was the man to do it.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The thing to do was to get the engines out, and Healy was the man to do it.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
Healy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
Healy's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
plural of “heel” — the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading Healy paused but an instant.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The thing to do was to get the engines out, and Healy was the man to do it.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
roused to anger
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading Healy paused but an instant.
a raised horizontal surface
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
railsnounUS /reɪlz/
a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
running-shed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The running-shed was afire.
cut with a saw
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
do one's shopping
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
Speckles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
tearingnounUS /ˈterɪŋ/
shedding tears
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
a special situation
From this reading The thing to do was to get the engines out, and Healy was the man to do it.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
traversedverbUS /ˈtrævərst/
past form of “traverse” — travel across or pass over
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
turntablenounUS /ˈtɜːrnteɪbəl/
a circular horizontal platform that rotates a phonograph record while it is being played
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
a message informing of danger
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The running-shed was afire.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
which person or people
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
whoopverbUS /wuːp/
shout, as if with joy or enthusiasm
From this reading With a whoop, Speckles traversed the platform, leaped to the rails, and was hard on Healy’s heels by the time the turntable was crossed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Another minute and the shop whistle had boomed out its warning, and as Healy, with the man who had gone after him, came tearing down the track like mad, Speckles saw the smoke beginning to curl up over the roof at the back.
