used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Bob cautiously glided over beside the Chinaman, although well aware of the grave danger.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading Bob cautiously glided over beside the Chinaman, although well aware of the grave danger.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Bob cautiously glided over beside the Chinaman, although well aware of the grave danger.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading Bob cautiously glided over beside the Chinaman, although well aware of the grave danger.
Chinamannoun
(ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Chinese descent
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading Bob cautiously glided over beside the Chinaman, although well aware of the grave danger.
involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading The youth looked through the opening, and then his jaw dropped.
an opposing military force
From this reading They were indeed glad he was their friend and not their enemy.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading They were indeed glad he was their friend and not their enemy.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading They were indeed glad he was their friend and not their enemy.
glidedverbUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪd/
past form of “glide” — move smoothly and effortlessly
From this reading Bob cautiously glided over beside the Chinaman, although well aware of the grave danger.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
death of a person
From this reading Bob cautiously glided over beside the Chinaman, although well aware of the grave danger.
gripnounUS /ɡrɪp/
the act of grasping
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
harmless-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The youth looked through the opening, and then his jaw dropped.
the act of retaining something
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading They were indeed glad he was their friend and not their enemy.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
jawverbUS /dʒɔː/
talk socially without exchanging too much information
From this reading The youth looked through the opening, and then his jaw dropped.
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The youth looked through the opening, and then his jaw dropped.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
information about recent and important events
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were indeed glad he was their friend and not their enemy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Bob cautiously glided over beside the Chinaman, although well aware of the grave danger.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
PongnounUS /pɔːŋ/
an unpleasant smell
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
cut with a saw
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were indeed glad he was their friend and not their enemy.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The youth looked through the opening, and then his jaw dropped.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were indeed glad he was their friend and not their enemy.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The youth looked through the opening, and then his jaw dropped.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For the first time Bob and Joe saw how dangerous this harmless-looking Chinaman could become.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They were indeed glad he was their friend and not their enemy.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Bob cautiously glided over beside the Chinaman, although well aware of the grave danger.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were indeed glad he was their friend and not their enemy.
at the time that
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Good News When he had made an opening barely large enough to see into the store, Pong Lee stepped forward and peered out, holding the pistol with a grip of steel.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading The youth looked through the opening, and then his jaw dropped.
