used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
any thing at all
From this reading "We're not doing anything wrong."
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "No; but it's so much more fun to pretend we are.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Why must we be so careful?" she whispered.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "No; but it's so much more fun to pretend we are.
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading "Why must we be so careful?" she whispered.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading "We're not doing anything wrong."
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
being one more than seven
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
Ferris
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
feel or handle with the fingers
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
set up or found
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading "No; but it's so much more fun to pretend we are.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
Hal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No; but it's so much more fun to pretend we are.
the sound of laughing
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
lipnounUS /lɪp/
either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "No; but it's so much more fun to pretend we are.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "No; but it's so much more fun to pretend we are.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "Why must we be so careful?" she whispered.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
not any; not one
From this reading "No; but it's so much more fun to pretend we are.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "We're not doing anything wrong."
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
PattynounUS /ˈpæti/
small flat mass of chopped food
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
pretendverbUS /priˈtend/
make believe with the intent to deceive
From this reading "No; but it's so much more fun to pretend we are.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
secrecynounUS /ˈsiːkrəsi/
the trait of keeping things secret
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Why must we be so careful?" she whispered.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
tiptoeingverbUS /ˈtɪptoʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “tiptoe” — walk on one's toes
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Why must we be so careful?" she whispered.
We're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We're not doing anything wrong."
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading "Why must we be so careful?" she whispered.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why must we be so careful?" she whispered.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading "We're not doing anything wrong."
