used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The fifth man was somewhere near the out-buildings, very silent about whatever he had on hand.
perfect or complete or pure
From this reading The stillness was absolute save for the drumming dew and a faint ripple from the water's edge.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading He saw shadowy figures appear, one after another, and take stations at the four corners of the house.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He saw shadowy figures appear, one after another, and take stations at the four corners of the house.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
clumpnounUS /klʌmp/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading He saw shadowy figures appear, one after another, and take stations at the four corners of the house.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
dewnounUS /duː/
water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
drummingnounUS /ˈdrʌmɪŋ/
the act of playing drums
From this reading The stillness was absolute save for the drumming dew and a faint ripple from the water's edge.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The stillness was absolute save for the drumming dew and a faint ripple from the water's edge.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading The stillness was absolute save for the drumming dew and a faint ripple from the water's edge.
fifthnounUS /fɪfθ/
a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon
From this reading The fifth man was somewhere near the out-buildings, very silent about whatever he had on hand.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading He saw shadowy figures appear, one after another, and take stations at the four corners of the house.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The stillness was absolute save for the drumming dew and a faint ripple from the water's edge.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading He saw shadowy figures appear, one after another, and take stations at the four corners of the house.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The stillness was absolute save for the drumming dew and a faint ripple from the water's edge.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The fifth man was somewhere near the out-buildings, very silent about whatever he had on hand.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The fifth man was somewhere near the out-buildings, very silent about whatever he had on hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The fifth man was somewhere near the out-buildings, very silent about whatever he had on hand.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The fifth man was somewhere near the out-buildings, very silent about whatever he had on hand.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He saw shadowy figures appear, one after another, and take stations at the four corners of the house.
out-buildings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifth man was somewhere near the out-buildings, very silent about whatever he had on hand.
rag-weed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
rattlingnounUS /ˈrætlɪŋ/
a rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders)
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
ripplenounUS /ˈrɪpəl/
a small wave on the surface of a liquid
From this reading The stillness was absolute save for the drumming dew and a faint ripple from the water's edge.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
except for; apart from
From this reading The stillness was absolute save for the drumming dew and a faint ripple from the water's edge.
cut with a saw
From this reading He saw shadowy figures appear, one after another, and take stations at the four corners of the house.
shadowyadjectiveUS /ˈʃædoʊi/
filled with shade
From this reading He saw shadowy figures appear, one after another, and take stations at the four corners of the house.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading The fifth man was somewhere near the out-buildings, very silent about whatever he had on hand.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
in or at or to some place
From this reading The fifth man was somewhere near the out-buildings, very silent about whatever he had on hand.
squatted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
stationsnounUS /ˈsteɪʃənz/
(Roman Catholic Church) a devotion consisting of fourteen prayers said before a series of fourteen pictures or carvings representing successive incidents during Jesus' passage from Pilate's house to his crucifixion at Calvary
From this reading He saw shadowy figures appear, one after another, and take stations at the four corners of the house.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading The stillness was absolute save for the drumming dew and a faint ripple from the water's edge.
sumacs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
carry out
From this reading He saw shadowy figures appear, one after another, and take stations at the four corners of the house.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Smith crept after him through the sumacs; and, at the foot of the slope, squatted low in a clump of rag-weed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
verandanounUS /vərˈændə/
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
precisely as stated
From this reading The fifth man was somewhere near the out-buildings, very silent about whatever he had on hand.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So close to the house was he now that he could hear the dew rattling on the veranda roof.
water'snounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/
possessive form of “water” — binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading The stillness was absolute save for the drumming dew and a faint ripple from the water's edge.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading The fifth man was somewhere near the out-buildings, very silent about whatever he had on hand.
