used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In his corn-field, Charles took up his hoe and set to work.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
barnnounUS /bɑːrn/
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading In his corn-field, Charles took up his hoe and set to work.
corn-field
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In his corn-field, Charles took up his hoe and set to work.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
Frazier's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
furtivelyadverbUS /ˈfɜːrtɪvli/
in a furtive manner
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
hillsidenounUS /ˈhɪlsaɪd/
the side or slope of a hill
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In his corn-field, Charles took up his hoe and set to work.
hoenounUS /hoʊ/
a tool with a flat blade attached at right angles to a long handle
From this reading In his corn-field, Charles took up his hoe and set to work.
hoofsnounUS /hʊfs/
plural of “hoof” — the foot of an ungulate mammal
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
hurryingadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːriɪŋ/
moving with great haste
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In his corn-field, Charles took up his hoe and set to work.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
Kenneth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
lurkingverbUS /ˈlɜːrkɪŋ/
-ing form of “lurk” — lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
a particular point in time
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
neighborhoodnounUS /ˈneɪbərhʊd/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
and nothing more
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
operationsnounUS /ˌɑːpərˈeɪʃənz/
financial transactions at a brokerage; having to do with the execution of trades and keeping customer records
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
with speed
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
cut with a saw
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading In his corn-field, Charles took up his hoe and set to work.
move stealthily
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
stealverbUS /stiːl/
take without the owner's consent
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
not in physical motion
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
possessing sweep
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
express in words
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
thicketnounUS /ˈθɪkɪt/
a dense growth of bushes
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In his corn-field, Charles took up his hoe and set to work.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading In his corn-field, Charles took up his hoe and set to work.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading In his corn-field, Charles took up his hoe and set to work.
a garment that covers the head and face
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Something seemed to tell Charles that the man was still in the neighborhood and was only waiting for the darkness to veil his further operations.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He heard the sound of Frazier's horse on the road and saw Mary slip from a rear door of the house and steal rapidly down to the barn, but he did not understand what it meant.
wheelsnounUS /wiːlz/
plural of “wheel” — a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
at the time that
From this reading It became plain a moment later when Mary was seen hurrying back and the sound of hoofs and wheels at the gate had ceased.
in or at the place that
From this reading Now and then his eyes furtively swept the thicket on the hillside where Kenneth had seen the lurking stranger.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading In his corn-field, Charles took up his hoe and set to work.
