used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
(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 Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not a human sound could he hear.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
at or in or to any place
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
bangverbUS /bæŋ/
strike violently
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
have
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
BEAR'SnounUS /berz/
possessive form of “bear” — massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
Billy'snounUS /ˈbɪliz/
possessive form of “billy” — a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
bing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
a youthful male person
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
boyishadjectiveUS /ˈbɔɪɪʃ/
befitting or characteristic of a young boy
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
browniesnounUS /ˈbraʊniz/
plural of “brownie” — a junior Girl Scout
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
rid of obstructions
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
without doubt or question
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
CrawfordnounUS /ˈkrɔːfərd/
United States neoclassical sculptor (1814-1857)
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
someone who is a detective
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
having or deserving or conferring glory
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not a human sound could he hear.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not a human sound could he hear.
an opening into or through something
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not a human sound could he hear.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not a human sound could he hear.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not a human sound could he hear.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
not any; not one
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Other sounds there were in plenty.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not a human sound could he hear.
a full supply
From this reading Other sounds there were in plenty.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not a human sound could he hear.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Other sounds there were in plenty.
speakernounUS /ˈspiːkər/
someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
spiritedadjectiveUS /ˈspɪrɪtɪd/
displaying animation, vigor, or liveliness
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
not in physical motion
From this reading Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not a human sound could he hear.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not a human sound could he hear.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
swingingnounUS /ˈswɪŋɪŋ/
changing location by moving back and forth
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
in or at that place or location
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
a just detectable amount
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
communicated in words
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
having passed out of existence
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY “And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of _that_ bear.”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Other sounds there were in plenty.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not a human sound could he hear.
wonderinglyadverb
in a curious and questioning manner
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
woodlandnounUS /ˈwʊdlænd/
land that is covered with trees and shrubs
From this reading The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he see anywhere.
the words that are spoken
From this reading The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see.
