used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Fighting Desperately There was not a moment to lose.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Unfortunately their rifles had been left on the trail above.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
beaknounUS /biːk/
beaklike mouth of animals other than birds (e.g., turtles)
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Unfortunately their rifles had been left on the trail above.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
clawsnounUS /klɔːz/
plural of “claw” — sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
condornounUS /ˈkɑːndər/
the largest flying birds in the western hemisphere
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
defendverbUS /dɪˈfend/
argue or speak in defense of
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
DesperatelyadverbUS /ˈdespərətli/
with great urgency
From this reading Fighting Desperately There was not a moment to lose.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
explorersnounUS /ɪkˈsplɔːrərz/
plural of “explorer” — someone who travels into little known regions (especially for some scientific purpose)
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
From this reading Fighting Desperately There was not a moment to lose.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Unfortunately their rifles had been left on the trail above.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Unfortunately their rifles had been left on the trail above.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading Fighting Desperately There was not a moment to lose.
a particular point in time
From this reading Fighting Desperately There was not a moment to lose.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Fighting Desperately There was not a moment to lose.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Unfortunately their rifles had been left on the trail above.
used when we are both doing the action and receiving it
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
with speed
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
riflesnounUS /ˈraɪfəlz/
plural of “rifle” — a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore
From this reading Unfortunately their rifles had been left on the trail above.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
get by special effort
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
swoopingverbUS /ˈswuːpɪŋ/
-ing form of “swoop” — move down on as if in an attack
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Unfortunately their rifles had been left on the trail above.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Fighting Desperately There was not a moment to lose.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Fighting Desperately There was not a moment to lose.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading Unfortunately their rifles had been left on the trail above.
UnfortunatelyadverbUS /ənˈfɔːrtʃənətli/
by bad luck
From this reading Unfortunately their rifles had been left on the trail above.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
the act of using
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Fighting Desperately There was not a moment to lose.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "My knife is all we have to defend ourselves with," said Joe, watching the large form advance toward them.
weaponsnounUS /ˈwepənz/
plural of “weapon” — any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
a Caucasian
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With the huge white condor swooping down upon them, the explorers knew that they must act quickly.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Before they could secure the weapons the huge bird would be upon them and would probably use its terrible claws and beak to great advantage.
