used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading SHADOWS ACROSS THE PATH.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading The night was far advanced.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He seemed to be peeping through the shutters.
crouchingverbUS /ˈkraʊtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading The night was far advanced.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading I gave a start.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He seemed to be peeping through the shutters.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The night was far advanced.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
a course of conduct
From this reading SHADOWS ACROSS THE PATH.
peepingverbUS /ˈpiːpɪŋ/
-ing form of “peep” — look furtively
From this reading He seemed to be peeping through the shutters.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
cut with a saw
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He seemed to be peeping through the shutters.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading SHADOWS ACROSS THE PATH.
shuttersnounUS /ˈʃʌtərz/
plural of “shutter” — a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure
From this reading He seemed to be peeping through the shutters.
sillnounUS /sɪl/
structural member consisting of a continuous horizontal timber forming the lowest member of a framework or supporting structure
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading I gave a start.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SHADOWS ACROSS THE PATH.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He seemed to be peeping through the shutters.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The night was far advanced.
at the time that
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading I had reached within a few steps from my house when I saw through the dark a man crouching on the sill of one of the windows.