used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
arrivalsnounUS /ərˈaɪvəlz/
plural of “arrival” — accomplishment of an objective
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
plural of “body” — the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
choicestadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɔɪsəst/
superlative of “choice” — of superior grade
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
devouredverbUS /dɪˈvaʊərd/
past form of “devour” — destroy completely
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
dismayingadjectiveUS /dɪˈsmeɪɪŋ/
causing consternation
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
half-starved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
hungernounUS /ˈhʌŋɡər/
a physiological need for food; the consequence of food deprivation
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
occurring by chance
From this reading “That was lucky,” said Joe.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
on one occasion
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
arrange in a container
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
established beyond doubt
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
with speed
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
rendverb
tear or be torn violently
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
retreatednounUS /riˈtriːtəd/
people who have retreated
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “That was lucky,” said Joe.
satisfyverbUS /ˈsætəsfaɪ/
meet the requirements or expectations of
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
snarlverbUS /snɑːrl/
utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The others retreated for a minute, but then came forward once more, to rend the dead bodies and snarl and fight over the choicest pieces.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
vicious-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
wastingnounUS /ˈweɪstɪŋ/
any general reduction in vitality and strength of body and mind resulting from a debilitating chronic disease
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
wolvesnounUS /wʊlvz/
plural of “wolf” — any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs
From this reading To Joe and Harry the sight of so many half-starved wolves was certainly a dismaying one.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They were vicious-looking creatures, and the fact that the first arrivals had quickly devoured the beast they had brought low proved that they would stop at nothing in order to satisfy their hunger.
youthsnounUS /juːðz/
plural of “youth” — a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading Without wasting words, each of the youths fired into the pack, and by good luck two more of the creatures were killed.
