used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
(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 sorts of dire things commenced to flash through his head.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
AMONGprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading THE TRAIL AMONG THE ROCKS.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
calibrenoun
a degree or grade of excellence or worth
From this reading Now, I wonder have I made a mistake about the calibre of Smithy, and could he have wandered off in a careless way?"
marked by lack of attention or consideration or forethought or thoroughness; not careful
From this reading Now, I wonder have I made a mistake about the calibre of Smithy, and could he have wandered off in a careless way?"
commencedverbUS /kəˈmenst/
past form of “commence” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading All sorts of dire things commenced to flash through his head.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
dependverbUS /dɪˈpend/
be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
direadjectiveUS /daɪr/
fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless
From this reading All sorts of dire things commenced to flash through his head.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading All sorts of dire things commenced to flash through his head.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
gripnounUS /ɡrɪp/
the act of grasping
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Now, I wonder have I made a mistake about the calibre of Smithy, and could he have wandered off in a careless way?"
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading All sorts of dire things commenced to flash through his head.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading All sorts of dire things commenced to flash through his head.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Now, I wonder have I made a mistake about the calibre of Smithy, and could he have wandered off in a careless way?"
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Now, I wonder have I made a mistake about the calibre of Smithy, and could he have wandered off in a careless way?"
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading Now, I wonder have I made a mistake about the calibre of Smithy, and could he have wandered off in a careless way?"
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, I wonder have I made a mistake about the calibre of Smithy, and could he have wandered off in a careless way?"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Now, I wonder have I made a mistake about the calibre of Smithy, and could he have wandered off in a careless way?"
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
in the near future
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading THE TRAIL AMONG THE ROCKS.
scout-master
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
Smithynoun
a workplace where metal is worked by heating and hammering
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading All sorts of dire things commenced to flash through his head.
(especially of eyes) bulging or protruding as with fear
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TRAIL AMONG THE ROCKS.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading All sorts of dire things commenced to flash through his head.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading All sorts of dire things commenced to flash through his head.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading THE TRAIL AMONG THE ROCKS.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading Now, I wonder have I made a mistake about the calibre of Smithy, and could he have wandered off in a careless way?"
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Now, I wonder have I made a mistake about the calibre of Smithy, and could he have wandered off in a careless way?"
at the time that
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
in or at the place that
From this reading Of course the scout-master was given a shock when he realized that Smithy could not be where he had told him to wait until relieved.
won't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Here, this won't do at all," he presently muttered, starting to get a firm grip on himself; "I've myself alone to depend on, to find out the truth about Smithy, and to do that I must keep my head level.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading Now, I wonder have I made a mistake about the calibre of Smithy, and could he have wandered off in a careless way?"
