used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
(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 All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
ascertainverbUS /ˌæsərˈteɪn/
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
boxesnounUS /ˈbɑːksəz/
plural of “box” — a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
plural of “case” — an occurrence of something
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
rid of objects or obstructions such as e.g. trees and brush
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
crackverbUS /kræk/
become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
errandnounUS /ˈerənd/
a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
filteringverbUS /ˈfɪltərɪŋ/
-ing form of “filter” — remove by passing through a filter
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
the act of departing
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
gropinglyadverb
in an uncertain groping manner
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
hitheradverbUS /ˈhɪðər/
an old word meaning “to this place”
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
intrudernounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːdər/
someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
jerkyadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɜːrki/
lacking a steady rhythm
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
laboringadjectiveUS /ˈleɪbərɪŋ/
doing arduous or unpleasant work
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
in motion
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
other's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
packingnounUS /ˈpækɪŋ/
any material used especially to protect something
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
plural of “person” — a human being
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
PhantomnounUS /ˈfæn.təm/
A ghost or apparition; a figment of the imagination or a hidden dweller.
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
in the near future
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
exert pressure or force to or upon
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
prowlernounUS /ˈpraʊlər/
someone who prowls or sneaks about; usually with unlawful intentions
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
prowler's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
raspingadjective
unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
rowsnounUS /roʊz/
plural of “row” — an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
except for; apart from
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
scrapingnounUS /ˈskreɪpɪŋ/
(usually plural) a fragment scraped off of something and collected
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
sliververbUS /ˈslɪvər/
divide into slivers or splinters
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
stackedadjectiveUS /stækt/
arranged in a stack
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
switchverbUS /swɪtʃ/
change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
thitheradverbUS /ˈðɪθɜːr/
an old word meaning “to that place”
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
very small
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
totalverbUS /ˈtoʊtəl/
add up in number or quantity
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
trepidationnounUS /ˌtrepɪˈdeɪʃən/
a feeling of alarm or dread
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
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 A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
wedgedadjectiveUS /wedʒd/
wedged or packed in together
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The Phantom, wedged in a narrow opening between two rows of boxes, presently heard a faint scraping, as if the intruder were passing his hand back and forth in search of a light switch.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading All he could see was a shadow moving hither and thither in the gloom, but the prowler's quick breathing and jerky footsteps told that, whatever might be his errand, he was going about it in a state of great trepidation.
at the time that
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The room was in total darkness save for a tiny sliver of light filtering in through a crack between the packing cases stacked against the window.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading A sudden flash of light caused the Phantom to press hard against the wall, for he wished to ascertain the other's business before making his presence known.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The prowler advanced gropingly after closing the door behind him, and from time to time he cleared his throat with little rasping sounds, as some persons do when laboring under intense excitement.
