used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
arightadverb
in an accurate manner
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
bobcatsnounUS /ˈbɑːbkætz/
plural of “bobcat” — small lynx of North America
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
catsnounUS /kæts/
plural of “cat” — feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
a young person of either sex
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
having come or been brought to a conclusion
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
From this reading The more he listened the stronger grew his conviction.
demanding attention
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
a quad with a square body
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
divisible by two
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
facingnounUS /ˈfeɪsɪŋ/
a lining applied to the edge of a garment for ornamentation or strengthening
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
set up or found
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading The more he listened the stronger grew his conviction.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The more he listened the stronger grew his conviction.
I'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading The more he listened the stronger grew his conviction.
engage in
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The more he listened the stronger grew his conviction.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
Phil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
scrapnounUS /skræp/
a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
snapverbUS /snæp/
utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
spittingnounUS /ˈspɪtɪŋ/
the act of spitting (forcefully expelling saliva)
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
comparative of “strong” — having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading The more he listened the stronger grew his conviction.
SUNBEAMnounUS /ˈsʌnbiːm/
a ray of sunlight
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The more he listened the stronger grew his conviction.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading FINDING A SUNBEAM At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
plural of “turn” — a circular segment of a curve
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
except if; if not
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
at the time that
From this reading "I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading As to a child, what would one be doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that might be it."
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading "Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off.
