used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading But there was no occasion for alarm--no need to rush frantically for our muskets.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The intruder was not an Indian, not an enemy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
benchesnounUS /ˈbentʃɪz/
plural of “bench” — a long seat for more than one person
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
Burley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But there was no occasion for alarm--no need to rush frantically for our muskets.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
ChristophernounUS /ˈkrɪstəfər/
Christian martyr and patron saint of travellers (3rd century)
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
crashverbUS /kræʃ/
fall or come down violently
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
an opposing military force
From this reading The intruder was not an Indian, not an enemy.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But there was no occasion for alarm--no need to rush frantically for our muskets.
franticallyadverbUS /ˈfræntəkəli/
in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading But there was no occasion for alarm--no need to rush frantically for our muskets.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading The intruder was not an Indian, not an enemy.
interruptionnounUS /ˌɪntərˈʌpʃən/
an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
intrudernounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːdər/
someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
From this reading The intruder was not an Indian, not an enemy.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
owning or consisting of land or real estate
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
immediately past
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
muskets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But there was no occasion for alarm--no need to rush frantically for our muskets.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading But there was no occasion for alarm--no need to rush frantically for our muskets.
not any; not one
From this reading But there was no occasion for alarm--no need to rush frantically for our muskets.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The intruder was not an Indian, not an enemy.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading But there was no occasion for alarm--no need to rush frantically for our muskets.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ON THE WAY.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
a person who enjoys reading
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
move hurridly
From this reading But there was no occasion for alarm--no need to rush frantically for our muskets.
scareverbUS /sker/
cause fear in
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ON THE WAY.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But there was no occasion for alarm--no need to rush frantically for our muskets.
a special situation
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
someone who visits
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading ON THE WAY.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading A visitor of any sort was the last thing we could have expected, and the reader can imagine what a surprise and scare the interruption gave us.
which person or people
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
in the company of; together with
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading We leaped to our feet with such haste that several of the benches wore knocked over, and Christopher Burley, who was in the act of sitting down at the time, landed on the floor with a heavy crash.
