used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
From this reading She reached the crest of the ridge far in advance of him.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading That the girl knew the trail well enough became evident at once.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading That the girl knew the trail well enough became evident at once.
bouldernounUS /ˈboʊldər/
a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
clawingverbUS /ˈklɔːɪŋ/
-ing form of “claw” — move as if by clawing, seizing, or digging
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
climbingnounUS /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/
an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
crestnounUS /krest/
the top line of a hill, mountain, or wave
From this reading She reached the crest of the ridge far in advance of him.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
docknounUS /dɑːk/
an enclosure in a court of law where the defendant sits during the trial
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading That the girl knew the trail well enough became evident at once.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading That the girl knew the trail well enough became evident at once.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading She reached the crest of the ridge far in advance of him.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
footprintsnounUS /ˈfʊtprɪnts/
plural of “footprint” — a mark of a foot or shoe on a surface
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
set up or found
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
a young female
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
hand-hold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading That the girl knew the trail well enough became evident at once.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
madlyadverbUS /ˈmædli/
in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
of an obscure nature
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
on one occasion
From this reading That the girl knew the trail well enough became evident at once.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
perpendicularnounUS /ˌpɜːrpənˈdɪkjələr/
a straight line at right angles to another line
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading She reached the crest of the ridge far in advance of him.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
ridgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading She reached the crest of the ridge far in advance of him.
RodgersnounUS /ˈrɑːdʒərz/
United States composer of musical comedies (especially in collaboration with Oscar Hammerstein II and with Lorenz Hart) (1902-1979)
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She reached the crest of the ridge far in advance of him.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
be standing; be upright
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
stumbledverbUS /ˈstʌmbəld/
past form of “stumble” — walk unsteadily
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Here he stumbled over a boulder, there slipped on a stretch of earth that appeared to stand on end, and here found himself clawing madly in air for some form of hand-hold.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
(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 That the girl knew the trail well enough became evident at once.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
in or at the place that
From this reading As Red Rodgers followed the girl in the dark over the narrow trail that led away from the dock where they had discovered mysterious footprints in the snow, he found himself climbing what seemed to him an almost perpendicular wall.
