used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
barrelnounUS /ˈbærəl/
a tube through which a bullet travels when a gun is fired
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading It was succeeded by a mad beating of her heart.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Roy said nothing but clutched his rifle.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was succeeded by a mad beating of her heart.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
clickverbUS /klɪk/
move or strike with a noise
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
clutchedverbUS /klʌtʃt/
past form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Roy said nothing but clutched his rifle.
embracedverbUS /emˈbreɪst/
past form of “embrace” — include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
emergedverbUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒd/
past form of “emerge” — come out into view, as from concealment
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
hammernounUS /ˈhæmər/
the part of a gunlock that strikes the percussion cap when the trigger is pulled
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading It was succeeded by a mad beating of her heart.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Roy said nothing but clutched his rifle.
icyadjectiveUS /ˈaɪsi/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was succeeded by a mad beating of her heart.
jerkedverbUS /dʒɜːrkt/
past form of “jerk” — pull, or move with a sudden movement
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
roused to anger
From this reading It was succeeded by a mad beating of her heart.
mechanismnounUS /ˈmekənɪzəm/
the atomic process that occurs during a chemical reaction
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
the light of the Moon
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Roy said nothing but clutched his rifle.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was succeeded by a mad beating of her heart.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
Peggy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
repeaternounUS /rɪˈpiːtər/
a person who repeats
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
repeatingnounUS /rɪˈpiːtɪŋ/
the act of doing or performing again
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading Roy said nothing but clutched his rifle.
Roy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Roy said nothing but clutched his rifle.
Roy's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Roy said nothing but clutched his rifle.
cut with a saw
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
slidenounUS /slaɪd/
a small flat rectangular piece of glass on which specimens can be mounted for microscopic study
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
snapverbUS /snæp/
utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading It was succeeded by a mad beating of her heart.
SUMMERSnounUS /ˈsʌmərz/
plural of “summer” — the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
possessing sweep
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He jerked it to his shoulder as, out of the shadows, a figure emerged sharp and black against the moonlight.
trancenounUS /træns/
a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was succeeded by a mad beating of her heart.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As if she were in a trance Peggy saw Roy's hand slide under the barrel of the little repeater and then came the sharp click of the repeating mechanism, followed by the snap of the hammer as it fell forward.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading RED BILL SUMMERS A keen chill, sharp as if an icy wind had swept her, embraced Peggy.
