used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A dozen voices shrilled at them, and sticks were shaken in their faces.
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In another minute the car was surrounded by an angry crowd.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A dozen voices shrilled at them, and sticks were shaken in their faces.
angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/
feeling or showing anger
From this reading In another minute the car was surrounded by an angry crowd.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading In another minute the car was surrounded by an angry crowd.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A dozen voices shrilled at them, and sticks were shaken in their faces.
the power or right to give orders or make decisions
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
burlyadjectiveUS /ˈbɜːrli/
muscular and heavily built
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading In another minute the car was surrounded by an angry crowd.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading In another minute the car was surrounded by an angry crowd.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
(United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading In another minute the car was surrounded by an angry crowd.
dispelledverbUS /dɪˈspeld/
inflected form of “dispel” — force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
doubtsnounUS /daʊts/
plural of “doubt” — the state of being unsure of something
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading A dozen voices shrilled at them, and sticks were shaken in their faces.
entertainedadjectiveUS /ˌentərˈteɪnd/
pleasantly occupied
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
every person
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading A dozen voices shrilled at them, and sticks were shaken in their faces.
third-person singular of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
hostilitynounUS /hɑːˈstɪləti/
a hostile (very unfriendly) disposition
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In another minute the car was surrounded by an angry crowd.
interferencenounUS /ˌɪntərˈfɪrəns/
a policy of intervening in the affairs of other countries
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
investedverbUS /ˌɪnˈvestəd/
past form of “invest” — make an investment
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading In another minute the car was surrounded by an angry crowd.
mobnounUS /mɑːb/
a disorderly crowd of people
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
with speed
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
scoutsnounUS /skaʊts/
plural of “scout” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
shakenadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪkən/
disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock
From this reading A dozen voices shrilled at them, and sticks were shaken in their faces.
sheriffnounUS /ˈʃerəf/
the principal law-enforcement officer in a county
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
shrilled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A dozen voices shrilled at them, and sticks were shaken in their faces.
be standing; be upright
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
sticksnounUS /stɪks/
plural of “stick” — an implement consisting of a length of wood
From this reading A dozen voices shrilled at them, and sticks were shaken in their faces.
confined on all sides
From this reading In another minute the car was surrounded by an angry crowd.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A dozen voices shrilled at them, and sticks were shaken in their faces.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A dozen voices shrilled at them, and sticks were shaken in their faces.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “I’m the sheriff of this county, it happens, and I don’t allow any interference with my business.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading A dozen voices shrilled at them, and sticks were shaken in their faces.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In another minute the car was surrounded by an angry crowd.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading If one of the three scouts entertained doubts as to the hostility of the mob that came running along the country road, these were quickly dispelled.
which person or people
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Stand back, everybody!” shouted a burly man, who seemed to be invested with more or less authority.
