used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading “Did they give any warning at all?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading “Did they give any warning at all?
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading AT TUNNEL NUMBER TWO “Zowie!”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
bouldernounUS /ˈboʊldər/
a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
boxedadjectiveUS /bɑːkst/
enclosed in or set off by a border or box
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
canyonnounUS /ˈkænjən/
a ravine formed by a river in an area with little rainfall
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
complainedverbUS /kəmˈpleɪnd/
past form of “complain” — express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
crashverbUS /kræʃ/
fall or come down violently
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
DickienounUS /ˈdɪki/
a small third seat in the back of an old-fashioned two-seater
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
Didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “Did they give any warning at all?
Ding-bust
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
ding-busted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
remove the dust from
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
plural of “fellow” — a boy or man
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading “Did they give any warning at all?
grayishadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪɪʃ/
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
third-person singular of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
hastyadjectiveUS /ˈheɪsti/
excessively quick
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
hurtlingverbUS /ˈhɜːrtlɪŋ/
-ing form of “hurtle” — move with or as if with a rushing sound
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
instrumentnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənt/
a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
MaxwellnounUS /ˈmækswel/
a cgs unit of magnetic flux equal to the flux perpendicular to an area of 1 square centimeter in a magnetic field of 1 gauss
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading AT TUNNEL NUMBER TWO “Zowie!”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
pebblesnounUS /ˈpebəlz/
plural of “pebble” — a small smooth rounded rock
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
peeringverbUS /ˈpiːrɪŋ/
-ing form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
plaintivelyadverbUS /ˈpleɪntaɪvli/
in a plaintive manner
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
pumpkinsnounUS /ˈpʌmpkənz/
plural of “pumpkin” — a coarse vine widely cultivated for its large pulpy round orange fruit with firm orange skin and numerous seeds; subspecies of Cucurbita pepo include the summer squashes and a few autumn squashes
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
rock-flinging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
shelteringverbUS /ˈʃeltərɪŋ/
-ing form of “shelter” — provide shelter for
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
showernounUS /ˈʃaʊər/
a plumbing fixture that sprays water over you
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
staffnounUS /stæf/
personnel who assist their superior in carrying out an assigned task
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
surveyingnounUS /sərˈveɪɪŋ/
the practice of measuring angles and distances on the ground so that they can be accurately plotted on a map
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
carry out
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
in or at that place or location
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
tripodnounUS /ˈtraɪpɑːd/
a three-legged rack used for support
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
TUNNELverbUS /ˈtʌnəl/
move through by or as by digging
From this reading AT TUNNEL NUMBER TWO “Zowie!”
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading AT TUNNEL NUMBER TWO “Zowie!”
varyingadjectiveUS /ˈveriɪŋ/
marked by diversity or difference
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
volleynounUS /ˈvɑːli/
rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
a message informing of danger
From this reading “Did they give any warning at all?
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Dickie Maxwell complained plaintively, peering out at his side of the sheltering boulder to see if there were another crash and a volley due to come.
whangverbUS /wæŋ/
beat with force
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
which person or people
From this reading “Ding-bust those fellows over there――they don’t care a whang who happens to be in the way of their ding-busted rock-flinging!”
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading A crash like that of a falling house, a burst of grayish green dust and smoke from the opposite side of the canyon, and a hurtling shower of stones varying in size from pebbles to pumpkins, made the two young fellows, one carrying a boxed surveying instrument and the other the tripod and staff, take hasty shelter behind the nearest boulder.
Zowie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AT TUNNEL NUMBER TWO “Zowie!”
