used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
A-HUNTING
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WALTER AND THE ENGINEER GO A-HUNTING.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading WALTER AND THE ENGINEER GO A-HUNTING.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head dropped back, nearly severed from its body.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading At sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head dropped back, nearly severed from its body.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading At sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head dropped back, nearly severed from its body.
the two together, not just one
From this reading At sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head dropped back, nearly severed from its body.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading It was the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's exclamation.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
diggingnounUS /ˈdɪɡɪŋ/
the act of digging
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
dirtnounUS /dɜːrt/
the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading At sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head dropped back, nearly severed from its body.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
ENGINEERnounUS /ˈendʒəˈnɪr/
a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
From this reading WALTER AND THE ENGINEER GO A-HUNTING.
exclamationnounUS /ˌekskləˈmeɪʃən/
an abrupt excited utterance
From this reading It was the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's exclamation.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
fascinatedadjectiveUS /ˈfæsəneɪtəd/
having your attention fixated as though by a spell
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading At sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head dropped back, nearly severed from its body.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It was the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's exclamation.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading At sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head dropped back, nearly severed from its body.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading WALTER AND THE ENGINEER GO A-HUNTING.
gophernounUS /ˈɡoʊfər/
a zealously energetic person (especially a salesman)
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's exclamation.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
an opening into or through something
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's exclamation.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
lidlessadjective
not having or covered with a lid or lids
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
McCarty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
moundnounUS /maʊnd/
(baseball) the slight elevation on which the pitcher stands
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading At sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head dropped back, nearly severed from its body.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
rearedverbUS /rɪrd/
past form of “rear” — stand up on the hind legs, of quadrupeds
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
repulsive-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head dropped back, nearly severed from its body.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading It was the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's exclamation.
severedadjectiveUS /ˈsevərd/
detached by cutting
From this reading At sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head dropped back, nearly severed from its body.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading At sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head dropped back, nearly severed from its body.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
stirringnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/
agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading It was the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's exclamation.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's exclamation.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WALTER AND THE ENGINEER GO A-HUNTING.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's exclamation.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
violentlyadverbUS /ˈvaɪələntli/
in a violent manner
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
German conductor (1876-1962)
From this reading WALTER AND THE ENGINEER GO A-HUNTING.
Walter'snounUS /ˈwɔːltərz/
possessive form of “walter” — German conductor (1876-1962)
From this reading It was the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's exclamation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's exclamation.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
at the time that
From this reading A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt.
