used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A MAN WITH A GUN.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
arisesverbUS /ərˈaɪzəz/
third-person singular of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
automaticadjectiveUS /ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk/
operating with minimal human intervention; independent of external control
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Carleton Lynne had stared death in the face too many times to be greatly frightened by the present episode.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Carleton Lynne had stared death in the face too many times to be greatly frightened by the present episode.
with self-possession (especially in times of stress)
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
Carleton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Carleton Lynne had stared death in the face too many times to be greatly frightened by the present episode.
defendverbUS /dɪˈfend/
argue or speak in defense of
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
episodenounUS /ˈepəsoʊd/
a happening that is distinctive in a series of related events
From this reading Carleton Lynne had stared death in the face too many times to be greatly frightened by the present episode.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Carleton Lynne had stared death in the face too many times to be greatly frightened by the present episode.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
made afraid
From this reading Carleton Lynne had stared death in the face too many times to be greatly frightened by the present episode.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
to an extraordinary extent or degree
From this reading Carleton Lynne had stared death in the face too many times to be greatly frightened by the present episode.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading A MAN WITH A GUN.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
the act of retaining something
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
have in mind as a purpose
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
intrudernounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːdər/
someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
Lynne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
engage in
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A MAN WITH A GUN.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Carleton Lynne had stared death in the face too many times to be greatly frightened by the present episode.
menacedverbUS /ˈmenəst/
past form of “menace” — pose a threat to; present a danger to
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
muzzlenounUS /ˈmʌzəl/
the open circular discharging end of a gun
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
the condition of being essential or indispensable
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
not any; not one
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Carleton Lynne had stared death in the face too many times to be greatly frightened by the present episode.
with low volume
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
inflected form of “teach” — impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
for that reason; as a result
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
threatensverbUS /ˈθretənz/
third-person singular of “threaten” — pose a threat to; present a danger to
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Carleton Lynne had stared death in the face too many times to be greatly frightened by the present episode.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Carleton Lynne had stared death in the face too many times to be greatly frightened by the present episode.
a just detectable amount
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
except if; if not
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
the act of using
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
wanting in physical strength
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
at the time that
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
which person or people
From this reading He was weak, and therefore unable to defend himself, but no trace of fear showed upon his features, or in his eyes, which gazed quite calmly into the eyes of the man who had quietly seated himself upon a chair ten feet away and who was holding an automatic pistol so that the muzzle of it menaced him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A MAN WITH A GUN.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Carleton Lynne raised himself in the bed, not without some difficulty, and stared at the intruder.
but in spite of that
From this reading Experience had taught him that when one man threatens another with a gun, he does not intend to make use of it unless the necessity arises; and as yet there was no necessity that this gun should be used.
