1773
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
quickly and without warning
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
the two together, not just one
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
of short duration or distance
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
brushverbUS /brʌʃ/
rub with a brush, or as if with a brush
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
one or the other of two
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
intentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtentli/
with strained or eager attention
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
pioneernounUS /ˌpaɪəˈnɪr/
someone who helps to open up a new line of research or technology or art
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
processionnounUS /prəˈseʃən/
(theology) the origination of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/
the month following August and preceding October
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
in an aggressive manner
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading The sound itself had not been loud, but the quiet of that September day in 1773 had been sharply broken by the slight noise from the brush.
snappingverbUS /ˈsnæpɪŋ/
inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading At the question the two pioneer boys stopped abruptly.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For a brief time both boys listened intently and then one of them went back a short distance along the trail over which the little procession had advanced, carefully looking for signs of danger on either side.
WILDERNESSnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading IN THE WILDERNESS "What is that?"
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading From within the forest they had heard the sound of a snapping branch.
