used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A WOBBLING AEROPLANE.
AEROPLANEnoun
an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets
From this reading A WOBBLING AEROPLANE.
aimedverbUS /eɪmd/
past form of “aim” — point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
animal'snounUS /ˈænəməlz/
possessive form of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The boys stepped back from the bear as the men came up.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The boys stepped back from the bear as the men came up.
have
From this reading The boys stepped back from the bear as the men came up.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The boys stepped back from the bear as the men came up.
bulletnounUS /ˈbʊlət/
a projectile that is fired from a gun
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The boys stepped back from the bear as the men came up.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
start firing a weapon
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The boys stepped back from the bear as the men came up.
glancesnounUS /ˈɡlænsɪz/
plural of “glance” — a quick look
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
illuminationnounUS /ˌɪluːməˈneɪʃən/
a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
the force of workers available
From this reading The boys stepped back from the bear as the men came up.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
and nothing more
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
prepossessingadjective
creating a favorable impression
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
shiftyadjectiveUS /ˈʃɪfti/
characterized by insincerity or deceit; evasive
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading The boys stepped back from the bear as the men came up.
suspiciousadjectiveUS /səˈspɪʃəs/
openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The boys stepped back from the bear as the men came up.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The two bent over the bear for an instant, and then one aimed his rifle slowly and fired a bullet into the animal’s head.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The boys stepped back from the bear as the men came up.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was growing dusk now, and as the men drew nearer their faces were seen only by the dancing flames of the fire.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
WOBBLINGadjectiveUS /ˈwɑːbəlɪŋ/
(of sound) fluctuating unsteadily
From this reading A WOBBLING AEROPLANE.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading They were not prepossessing faces, and the boys wondered if it was the illumination which produced the shifty and suspicious glances they caught.
