used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
past form of “approach” — move towards
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
cause to be bored
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
circledverbUS /ˈsɜːrkəld/
past form of “circle” — travel around something
From this reading He quickly circled about the tiny garage and approached the struggling men from the other direction.
confinedadjectiveUS /kənˈfaɪnd/
not invading healthy tissue
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
Cray's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading He quickly circled about the tiny garage and approached the struggling men from the other direction.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
floppedverbUS /flɑːpt/
inflected form of “flop” — fall loosely
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He quickly circled about the tiny garage and approached the struggling men from the other direction.
garagenounUS /ɡərˈɑːʒ/
an outbuilding (or part of a building) for housing automobiles
From this reading He quickly circled about the tiny garage and approached the struggling men from the other direction.
gaspnounUS /ɡæsp/
a short labored intake of breath with the mouth open
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
Gordon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
hidingnounUS /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of keeping something secret
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
and nothing more
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
the force of workers available
From this reading He quickly circled about the tiny garage and approached the struggling men from the other direction.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading NOT ON THE PROGRAM.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading NOT ON THE PROGRAM.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading He quickly circled about the tiny garage and approached the struggling men from the other direction.
PROGRAMnounUS /ˈproʊɡræm/
a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
From this reading NOT ON THE PROGRAM.
with speed
From this reading He quickly circled about the tiny garage and approached the struggling men from the other direction.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
SimpsonnounUS /ˈsɪmpsən/
United States divorcee whose marriage to Edward VIII created a constitutional crisis leading to his abdication
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
engaged in a struggle to overcome especially poverty or obscurity
From this reading He quickly circled about the tiny garage and approached the struggling men from the other direction.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Gordon showed himself, and approached as they flopped about for a few moments in that confined space.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading NOT ON THE PROGRAM.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
very small
From this reading He quickly circled about the tiny garage and approached the struggling men from the other direction.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
triceverbUS /traɪs/
raise with a line
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
a message informing of danger
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Simpson gave a startled gasp and tried to turn, but Cray’s weight bore him down, and in a trice they were on the ground.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Suddenly he turned without warning and ran around the corner behind which he had just been hiding.
