used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
(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 But Ned had all he could do to help himself right then.
alleynounUS /ˈæli/
a narrow street with walls on both sides
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
in addition
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
antsnounUS /ænts/
plural of “ant” — social insect living in organized colonies; characteristically the males and fertile queen have wings during breeding season; wingless sterile females are the workers
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
attackingadjectiveUS /əˈtækɪŋ/
disposed to attack
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
ballsnounUS /bɔːlz/
plural of “ball” — round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
bowlingnounUS /ˈboʊlɪŋ/
a game in which balls are rolled at an object or group of objects with the aim of knocking them over or moving them
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
a youthful male person
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
brawnyadjectiveUS /ˈbrɔːni/
(of a person) possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Ned had all he could do to help himself right then.
clusteringnounUS /ˈklʌstərɪŋ/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But Ned had all he could do to help himself right then.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But Ned had all he could do to help himself right then.
domainsnounUS /doʊˈmeɪnz/
plural of “domain” — a particular environment or walk of life
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
DreadnoughtnounUS /ˈdrednɔːt/
battleship that has big guns all of the same caliber
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But Ned had all he could do to help himself right then.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But Ned had all he could do to help himself right then.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading “Help, Ned!
Herc
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Help!” roared Herc.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading But Ned had all he could do to help himself right then.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
interlopernounUS /ˈɪntərloʊpər/
someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
the force of workers available
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
Ned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Help, Ned!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
precisely, exactly
From this reading But Ned had all he could do to help himself right then.
roaredverbUS /rɔːrd/
past form of “roar” — make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles
From this reading Help!” roared Herc.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
swarmedverbUS /swɔːrmd/
past form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
swarmingverbUS /ˈswɔːrmɪŋ/
-ing form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading But Ned had all he could do to help himself right then.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The brawny arms of the Dreadnought Boy flung them off right and left, and as they fell back in the crowd they knocked over more of the clustering people like balls in a bowling alley.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But Ned had all he could do to help himself right then.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Like so many ants swarming upon and attacking an interloper in their domains, the little brown men had swarmed upon him, also.
