used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading BROTHER AND SISTER.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
the lower side of anything
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
a youthful male person
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading BROTHER AND SISTER.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
without doubt or question
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
the first light of day
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
depthnounUS /depθ/
the extent downward or backward or inward
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
earlier in time; previously
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
divisible by two
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
gleamverbUS /ɡliːm/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
imprisonmentnounUS /ˌɪmˈprɪzənmənt/
putting someone in prison or in jail as lawful punishment
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
go away from a place
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
staying power
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
numbadjectiveUS /nʌm/
lacking sensation
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
and nothing more
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
Phew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Phew!" thought Roy.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
past form of “reveal” — make visible
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
Roy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Phew!" thought Roy.
Roy's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading BROTHER AND SISTER.
slipperyadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpəri/
causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
spreadingnounUS /ˈspredɪŋ/
process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "Phew!" thought Roy.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
trapnounUS /træp/
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
(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 The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The well seemed to be about fifty feet or more in depth, and the sides were smooth and slippery.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The first gleam of the summer dawn shining into Roy's place of imprisonment at the bottom of the old well revealed to him only too clearly into what a trap he had fallen.
at the time that
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
wriggled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chill he had felt spreading through his limbs earlier was gone now, but a numb sensation was setting in which did not leave them even when the boy wriggled his legs about.
