used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
an item of information that is typical of a class or group
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
excitedlyadverbUS /ɪkˈsaɪtədli/
with excitement; in an excited manner
From this reading "Why, sergeant," he whispered excitedly, "it's powder!"
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
GunpowdernounUS /ˈɡʌnpaʊdər/
a mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in a 75:15:10 ratio which is used in gunnery, time fuses, and fireworks
From this reading "Gunpowder--a train; a heavy train running right and left."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading "Gunpowder--a train; a heavy train running right and left."
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
indicatedverbUS /ˈɪndəkeɪtəd/
past form of “indicate” — be a signal for or a symptom of
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Why, sergeant," he whispered excitedly, "it's powder!"
and nothing more
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading "Gunpowder--a train; a heavy train running right and left."
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
for more time
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "That's right, sir," replied the man.
not any; not one
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
pinchverbUS /pɪntʃ/
squeeze tightly between the fingers
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
powdernounUS /ˈpaʊdər/
a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles; a solid that has been pulverized
From this reading "Why, sergeant," he whispered excitedly, "it's powder!"
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "That's right, sir," replied the man.
precisely, exactly
From this reading "That's right, sir," replied the man.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading "Gunpowder--a train; a heavy train running right and left."
rustleverbUS /ˈrʌsəl/
make a dry crackling sound
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
sergeantnounUS /ˈsɑːrdʒənt/
any of several noncommissioned officer ranks in the Army or Air Force or Marines ranking above a corporal
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
term of address for a man
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
That's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's right, sir," replied the man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
tipnounUS /tɪp/
the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
create by training and teaching
From this reading "Gunpowder--a train; a heavy train running right and left."
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading "Why, sergeant," he whispered excitedly, "it's powder!"
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why, sergeant," he whispered excitedly, "it's powder!"
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness, and the faint rustle he made and then a peculiar sound from his lips indicated that he was setting the example.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The young officer hesitated no longer, but gathering up a pinch of the dry sand from the ground, he just held it to the tip of his tongue.
