used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776
From this reading He had played football in school and on the team of his scout troop in America.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading And now he dived for the astonished German's legs and brought him down with a flying tackle.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
the two together, not just one
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading And now he dived for the astonished German's legs and brought him down with a flying tackle.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
DARINGnounUS /ˈderɪŋ/
a challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
divedverbUS /daɪvd/
past form of “dive” — drop steeply
From this reading And now he dived for the astonished German's legs and brought him down with a flying tackle.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading And now he dived for the astonished German's legs and brought him down with a flying tackle.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
moving swiftly
From this reading And now he dived for the astonished German's legs and brought him down with a flying tackle.
footballnounUS /ˈfʊtbɔːl/
any of various games played with a ball (round or oval) in which two teams try to kick or carry or propel the ball into each other's goal
From this reading He had played football in school and on the team of his scout troop in America.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
Fred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
German'snounUS /ˈdʒɜːrmənz/
possessive form of “german” — a person of German nationality
From this reading And now he dived for the astonished German's legs and brought him down with a flying tackle.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had played football in school and on the team of his scout troop in America.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had played football in school and on the team of his scout troop in America.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And now he dived for the astonished German's legs and brought him down with a flying tackle.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
jawsnounUS /dʒɔːz/
plural of “jaw” — the part of the skull of a vertebrate that frames the mouth and holds the teeth
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
and nothing more
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
staying power
From this reading And now he dived for the astonished German's legs and brought him down with a flying tackle.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
a particular point in time
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading And now he dived for the astonished German's legs and brought him down with a flying tackle.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had played football in school and on the team of his scout troop in America.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
(of games) engaged in
From this reading He had played football in school and on the team of his scout troop in America.
free of extraneous elements of any kind
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
RUSEnounUS /ruːz/
a deceptive maneuver (especially to avoid capture)
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
express in words
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
an educational institution
From this reading He had played football in school and on the team of his scout troop in America.
scoutnounUS /skaʊt/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading He had played football in school and on the team of his scout troop in America.
semblancenounUS /ˈsembləns/
an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
not in physical motion
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
tacklenounUS /ˈtækəl/
the person who plays that position on a football team
From this reading And now he dived for the astonished German's legs and brought him down with a flying tackle.
teamnounUS /tiːm/
a cooperative unit (especially in sports)
From this reading He had played football in school and on the team of his scout troop in America.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
troopnounUS /truːp/
a group of soldiers
From this reading He had played football in school and on the team of his scout troop in America.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For just a moment they stood, both of them, perfectly still, staring at one another with fallen jaws.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading And then Fred acted by pure instinct, and without the semblance of a plan in his mind.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading A DARING RUSE It would be hard to say which was more surprised--Fred or the soldier.
