used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
(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 All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Then his voice came over the water.
columnnounUS /ˈkɑːləm/
a line of units following one after another
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
familiaritynounUS /fəˌmɪˈljerəti/
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
newcomernounUS /ˈnuːkʌmər/
any new participant in some activity
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
not divisible by two
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
on one occasion
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Then his voice came over the water.
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
shorewardadjectiveUS /ˈʃɔːrwərd/
(of winds) coming from the sea toward the land
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
not in physical motion
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
in a strange manner
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then his voice came over the water.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
undergrowthnounUS /ˈʌndərɡroʊθ/
the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “What’s up?”
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Then his voice came over the water.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Then his voice came over the water.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
What's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What’s up?”
at the time that
From this reading The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with an odd sense of familiarity.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
which person or people
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the undergrowth waved a reply.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach.
