used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The window carefully covered, no ray of light could be seen from the outside.
bulbnounUS /bʌlb/
a modified bud consisting of a thickened globular underground stem serving as a reproductive structure
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading The window carefully covered, no ray of light could be seen from the outside.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The window carefully covered, no ray of light could be seen from the outside.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading The window carefully covered, no ray of light could be seen from the outside.
creepingnounUS /ˈkriːpɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
denizennounUS /ˈdenəzən/
a person who inhabits a particular place
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
electric-light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
being one more than ten
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
expansenounUS /ɪkˈspæns/
a wide scope
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
fly-specked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The window carefully covered, no ray of light could be seen from the outside.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The window carefully covered, no ray of light could be seen from the outside.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
the force of workers available
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
not any; not one
From this reading The window carefully covered, no ray of light could be seen from the outside.
noiselesslyadverb
without a sound
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading The window carefully covered, no ray of light could be seen from the outside.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
raynounUS /reɪ/
a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading The window carefully covered, no ray of light could be seen from the outside.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The window carefully covered, no ray of light could be seen from the outside.
relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
without speaking
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
inflected form of “steal” — take without the owner's consent
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading FIFTEEN men sat around a table in an office on Lee Street.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At eleven o'clock they had silently crept up the stairs after looking cautiously up and down the deserted expanse of Lee Street to see if they were observed.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The window carefully covered, no ray of light could be seen from the outside.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading There was above them a single electric-light bulb, fly-specked, without a shade over it.
wolf-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like some silent, creeping, wolf-like denizen of the forest, each had stolen as noiselessly as possible up the stairs.
