used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement
From this reading "I'm wet, anyway," explained the boy, dashing into the water, and he came up to Frank, dripping to the waist.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
a youthful male person
From this reading "Yes, I will," responded the boy up in the tree.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "I'm wet, anyway," explained the boy, dashing into the water, and he came up to Frank, dripping to the waist.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
provide with a covering or cause to be covered
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
traveling across
From this reading "Hold on," directed Frank; "there's a crossing plank a little way farther down the stream."
crotchnounUS /krɑːtʃ/
the region of the angle formed by the junction of two branches
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
dashingadjectiveUS /ˈdæʃɪŋ/
lively and spirited
From this reading "I'm wet, anyway," explained the boy, dashing into the water, and he came up to Frank, dripping to the waist.
defensenounUS /dɪˈfens/
(military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
(often used in combination) having a specified direction
From this reading "Hold on," directed Frank; "there's a crossing plank a little way farther down the stream."
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
drippingnounUS /ˈdrɪpɪŋ/
a liquid (as water) that flows in drops (as from the eaves of house)
From this reading "I'm wet, anyway," explained the boy, dashing into the water, and he came up to Frank, dripping to the waist.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading "I'm wet, anyway," explained the boy, dashing into the water, and he came up to Frank, dripping to the waist.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading "Hold on," directed Frank; "there's a crossing plank a little way farther down the stream."
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "Hold on," directed Frank; "there's a crossing plank a little way farther down the stream."
a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Yes, I will," responded the boy up in the tree.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm wet, anyway," explained the boy, dashing into the water, and he came up to Frank, dripping to the waist.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Yes, I will," responded the boy up in the tree.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "I'm wet, anyway," explained the boy, dashing into the water, and he came up to Frank, dripping to the waist.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Hold on," directed Frank; "there's a crossing plank a little way farther down the stream."
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
nimblyadverbUS /ˈnɪmbli/
in a nimble or agile manner; with quickness and lightness and ease
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Hold on," directed Frank; "there's a crossing plank a little way farther down the stream."
and nothing more
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
plankverbUS /plæŋk/
cover with planks
From this reading "Hold on," directed Frank; "there's a crossing plank a little way farther down the stream."
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
respondedverbUS /rɪˈspɑːndɪd/
past form of “respond” — show a response or a reaction to something
From this reading "Yes, I will," responded the boy up in the tree.
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading "Hold on," directed Frank; "there's a crossing plank a little way farther down the stream."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Yes, I will," responded the boy up in the tree.
there's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Hold on," directed Frank; "there's a crossing plank a little way farther down the stream."
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading "Yes, I will," responded the boy up in the tree.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "Yes, I will," responded the boy up in the tree.
the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips
From this reading "I'm wet, anyway," explained the boy, dashing into the water, and he came up to Frank, dripping to the waist.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "Hold on," directed Frank; "there's a crossing plank a little way farther down the stream."
any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading He threw to the ground a flat stone he had been resting in the crotch of the tree, his only weapon of defense, dropped nimbly down after it, and started for the water.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading "I'm wet, anyway," explained the boy, dashing into the water, and he came up to Frank, dripping to the waist.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "Yes, I will," responded the boy up in the tree.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, I will," responded the boy up in the tree.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You had better hurry over here quick, if you want to get away from that man," said Frank, coming out from cover.
