Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

farther along in physical or mental development

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

young bull

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

a degree or grade of excellence or worth

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

relating to or characteristic of the Celts

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

past form of “command” — be in command of

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

in an artful manner

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

a long narrow excavation in the earth

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close

From this reading In the doorway stood MacNutt.

cause to move by pulling

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

having a specified kind of border or edge

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

the organ of sight

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

opinion or judgment

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

in a grotesque manner

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

talk socially without exchanging too much information

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

immediately past

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

to incline or bend from a vertical position

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the doorway stood MacNutt.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

a feeling of thoughtful sadness

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

a change of position that does not entail a change of location

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

inflected form of “petrify” — cause to become stonelike or stiff or dazed and stunned from fright

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

compacted by ironing

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

with speed

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets)

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

precisely, exactly

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

the place where some action occurs

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

marked by absence of sound

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading In the doorway stood MacNutt.

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

sweep across or over

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE LAST DITCH Durkin advanced into the room quickly, the revolver in his right hand.

caused to fall to the ground

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

having come into contact

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

displeasing to the senses

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading His eyes were staring, his bullock head thrown back, bewildered at the sudden change that one sweep of an arm had brought to the scene.

which person or people

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.

the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising

From this reading As Durkin edged craftily round, with his back to the side wall, so that his eye commanded the silent trio before him, Frank made a movement to draw away from Keenan, who stood grotesquely petrified, his lean jaw fallen, the melancholy Celtic face touched more with wonder than with fear.

a joint between the distal end of the radius and the proximal row of carpal bones

From this reading It was a short-barreled bull-dog gun of heavy caliber, ugly and menacing as it swung from his out-thrust wrist, held low, with the right elbow pressed close in to his side.