used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
abruptadjectiveUS /əˈbrʌpt/
marked by sudden changes in subject and sharp transitions
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
accentuatedverbUS /ækˈsentʃuːeɪtɪd/
past form of “accentuate” — to stress, single out as important
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE GAY HANDKERCHIEF "Who are you--what you do here?"
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
cladadjectiveUS /klæd/
wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading THE GAY HANDKERCHIEF "Who are you--what you do here?"
emergedverbUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒd/
past form of “emerge” — come out into view, as from concealment
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
of concern to or concerning the affairs of other nations (other than your own)
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
garmentsnounUS /ˈɡɑːrmənts/
plural of “garment” — an article of clothing
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading THE GAY HANDKERCHIEF "Who are you--what you do here?"
greetingnounUS /ˈɡriːtɪŋ/
(usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
haltverbUS /hɔːlt/
cause to stop
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
a square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessory
From this reading THE GAY HANDKERCHIEF "Who are you--what you do here?"
harshadjectiveUS /hɑːrʃ/
unpleasantly stern
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading THE GAY HANDKERCHIEF "Who are you--what you do here?"
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
indefinableadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈfaɪnəbəl/
not capable of being precisely or readily described; not easily put into words
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
inflectionnounUS /ˌɪnˈflekʃən/
a change in the form of a word (usually by adding a suffix) to indicate a change in its grammatical function
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
a particular point in time
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
moustachenounUS /ˈmʌstæʃ/
an unshaved growth of hair on the upper lip
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
on the contrary
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
shacknounUS /ʃæk/
small crude shelter used as a dwelling
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
snappedverbUS /snæpt/
inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
swarthyadjectiveUS /ˈswɔːrði/
naturally having skin of a dark color
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE GAY HANDKERCHIEF "Who are you--what you do here?"
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
male cat
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
precisely as stated
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The question was snapped out at Tom and Ruth as they stood near the shack.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading THE GAY HANDKERCHIEF "Who are you--what you do here?"
at the time that
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
a Caucasian
From this reading He was dark of skin, swarthy, and when he smiled, which he did a moment after his rather harsh words of greeting, his very white teeth showed beneath a small black moustache.
which person or people
From this reading THE GAY HANDKERCHIEF "Who are you--what you do here?"
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A man had come to an abrupt halt as he emerged from the bushes and faced them; something of fear, Tom thought, mingled with anger showing on his face.
the words that are spoken
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
but in spite of that
From this reading It was this man whom they had heard approaching, a man clad in ordinary garments, yet with an indefinable foreign air about him--an air that was accentuated by his words and inflection.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading THE GAY HANDKERCHIEF "Who are you--what you do here?"
