used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
ALONEadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading ALONE IN THE GLOOM.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading When he recovered he was in darkness, his torch having been extinguished.
befallenverbUS /bəˈfɑːlən/
inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
the act of burning something
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
chasmnounUS /ˈkæzəm/
a deep opening in the earth's surface
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading When he recovered he was in darkness, his torch having been extinguished.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
having escaped, especially from confinement
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
extinguishedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/
of a conditioned response; caused to die out because of the absence or withdrawal of reinforcement
From this reading When he recovered he was in darkness, his torch having been extinguished.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading He fell with such violence that he was knocked senseless.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
Fred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading ALONE IN THE GLOOM.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading When he recovered he was in darkness, his torch having been extinguished.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
headlongadverbUS /ˈhedlɔːŋ/
with the head foremost
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ALONE IN THE GLOOM.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading He fell with such violence that he was knocked senseless.
a particular point in time
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
obstructionnounUS /əbˈstrʌkʃən/
any structure that makes progress difficult
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
precipitatedverbUS /prɪˈsɪpɪteɪtɪd/
past form of “precipitate” — bring about abruptly
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
past form of “recall” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading When he recovered he was in darkness, his torch having been extinguished.
To recall to mind.
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
resinnounUS /ˈrezən/
any of a class of solid or semisolid viscous substances obtained either as exudations from certain plants or prepared by polymerization of simple molecules
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
senselessadjectiveUS /ˈsensləs/
not marked by the use of reason
From this reading He fell with such violence that he was knocked senseless.
a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He fell with such violence that he was knocked senseless.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He fell with such violence that he was knocked senseless.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ALONE IN THE GLOOM.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The smell of the burning resin recalled him to himself, and it required but a moment for him to remember the accident which had befallen him.
torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/
a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading When he recovered he was in darkness, his torch having been extinguished.
an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)
From this reading He fell with such violence that he was knocked senseless.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
at the time that
From this reading When he recovered he was in darkness, his torch having been extinguished.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Before Fred could complete the sentence his foot struck an obstruction and he was precipitated headlong over and down a chasm which had escaped his notice.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He fell with such violence that he was knocked senseless.
