used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
armpitsnounUS /ˈɑːrmpɪts/
plural of “armpit” — the hollow under the arm where it is joined to the shoulder
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At a glance he took in the situation and, springing forward lightly, extended the pole to Ben.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
castingnounUS /ˈkæstɪŋ/
object formed by a mold
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
desperatelyadverbUS /ˈdespərətli/
with great urgency
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
Didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Did that sound exist only in his imagination, or had he really heard it?
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
existverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪst/
have an existence, be extant
From this reading Did that sound exist only in his imagination, or had he really heard it?
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading At a glance he took in the situation and, springing forward lightly, extended the pole to Ben.
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading At a glance he took in the situation and, springing forward lightly, extended the pole to Ben.
framedadjectiveUS /freɪmd/
provided with a frame
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading At a glance he took in the situation and, springing forward lightly, extended the pole to Ben.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Did that sound exist only in his imagination, or had he really heard it?
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
someone who hunts game
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading Did that sound exist only in his imagination, or had he really heard it?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Did that sound exist only in his imagination, or had he really heard it?
and nothing more
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
without good reason
From this reading At a glance he took in the situation and, springing forward lightly, extended the pole to Ben.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
and nothing more
From this reading Did that sound exist only in his imagination, or had he really heard it?
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
having a margin incised almost to the base so as to create distinct divisions or lobes
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
picturesqueadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərəsk/
suggesting or suitable for a picture; pretty as a picture
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
polenounUS /poʊl/
a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading Did that sound exist only in his imagination, or had he really heard it?
free from harm or evil
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
cut with a saw
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading At a glance he took in the situation and, springing forward lightly, extended the pole to Ben.
snakenounUS /sneɪk/
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
snapverbUS /snæp/
utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Did that sound exist only in his imagination, or had he really heard it?
springingverbUS /ˈsprɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading At a glance he took in the situation and, springing forward lightly, extended the pole to Ben.
not in physical motion
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Did that sound exist only in his imagination, or had he really heard it?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
in or at that place or location
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading At a glance he took in the situation and, springing forward lightly, extended the pole to Ben.
twigverbUS /twɪɡ/
branch out in a twiglike manner
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
two-prongedadjective
having two prongs
From this reading There, framed by the bushes, was the picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he held his two-pronged snake pole.
underbrushnounUS /ˈʌndərbrʌʃ/
the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading While he was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight in the world for him just then.
