used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The wand of white light playing about her was from an electric torch.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading She stooped, and literally crawled on all fours out of the range of the light from the rear doorway.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The wand of white light playing about her was from an electric torch.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She stooped, and literally crawled on all fours out of the range of the light from the rear doorway.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Before she knew it she was right beside the case containing the skeleton.
BLOW-UP
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
an occurrence of something
From this reading Before she knew it she was right beside the case containing the skeleton.
containingverbUS /kənˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component
From this reading Before she knew it she was right beside the case containing the skeleton.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading She stooped, and literally crawled on all fours out of the range of the light from the rear doorway.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading She stooped, and literally crawled on all fours out of the range of the light from the rear doorway.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
electricadjectiveUS /ɪˈlektrɪk/
using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity
From this reading The wand of white light playing about her was from an electric torch.
set up or found
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
foursnounUS /fɔːrz/
plural of “four” — the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading She stooped, and literally crawled on all fours out of the range of the light from the rear doorway.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The wand of white light playing about her was from an electric torch.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The wand of white light playing about her was from an electric torch.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Before she knew it she was right beside the case containing the skeleton.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
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 Before she knew it she was right beside the case containing the skeleton.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The wand of white light playing about her was from an electric torch.
literallyadverbUS /ˈlɪtərəli/
in a literal sense
From this reading She stooped, and literally crawled on all fours out of the range of the light from the rear doorway.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
a particular point in time
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
not any; not one
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
officesnounUS /ˈɔːfəsəz/
plural of “office” — place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She stooped, and literally crawled on all fours out of the range of the light from the rear doorway.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She stooped, and literally crawled on all fours out of the range of the light from the rear doorway.
a human being
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
Phemie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading The wand of white light playing about her was from an electric torch.
with speed
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
From this reading She stooped, and literally crawled on all fours out of the range of the light from the rear doorway.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading She stooped, and literally crawled on all fours out of the range of the light from the rear doorway.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Before she knew it she was right beside the case containing the skeleton.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
skeletonnounUS /ˈskelətən/
something reduced to its minimal form
From this reading Before she knew it she was right beside the case containing the skeleton.
a person, without saying who
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
not in physical motion
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
stoopedadjectiveUS /stuːpt/
having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect
From this reading She stooped, and literally crawled on all fours out of the range of the light from the rear doorway.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/
a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading The wand of white light playing about her was from an electric torch.
unlockedadjectiveUS /ənˈlɑːkt/
not firmly fastened or secured
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
wandnounUS /wɑːnd/
a rod used by a magician or water diviner
From this reading The wand of white light playing about her was from an electric torch.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
at the time that
From this reading A BLOW-UP 'Phemie's heart beat quickly; but she was no more afraid than she had been the moment before, when she found the green door unlocked.
a Caucasian
From this reading The wand of white light playing about her was from an electric torch.
which person or people
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)
From this reading There was somebody--the person who had found the lost key--still in the offices of the east wing.
