used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
(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 They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside somewhat roughly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “The question is: how are we going to get him out?
on or to one side
From this reading They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside somewhat roughly.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Yes, there must be a regular hiding place in there,” responded Ned.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
cairnnounUS /kern/
a mound of stones piled up as a memorial or to mark a boundary or path
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
Don'snounUS /dɑːnz/
possessive form of “don” — a Spanish gentleman or nobleman
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
draggingadjectiveUS /ˈdræɡɪŋ/
marked by a painfully slow and effortful manner
From this reading They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside somewhat roughly.
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “The question is: how are we going to get him out?
the act of departing
From this reading “The question is: how are we going to get him out?
grimlyadverbUS /ˈɡrɪmli/
in a grim implacable manner
From this reading “He’s in there, all right,” said Jim, grimly.
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside somewhat roughly.
He's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “He’s in there, all right,” said Jim, grimly.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
hidingnounUS /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of keeping something secret
From this reading “Yes, there must be a regular hiding place in there,” responded Ned.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “The question is: how are we going to get him out?
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The question is: how are we going to get him out?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “He’s in there, all right,” said Jim, grimly.
interioradjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɪriər/
situated within or suitable for inside a building
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “The question is: how are we going to get him out?
Jim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside somewhat roughly.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside somewhat roughly.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “Yes, there must be a regular hiding place in there,” responded Ned.
Ned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside somewhat roughly.
not any; not one
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “Yes, there must be a regular hiding place in there,” responded Ned.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading “The question is: how are we going to get him out?
in accordance with fixed order or procedure or principle
From this reading “Yes, there must be a regular hiding place in there,” responded Ned.
past form of “respond” — show a response or a reaction to something
From this reading “Yes, there must be a regular hiding place in there,” responded Ned.
(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat
From this reading They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside somewhat roughly.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “He’s in there, all right,” said Jim, grimly.
roughlyadverbUS /ˈrʌfli/
(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
From this reading They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside somewhat roughly.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “He’s in there, all right,” said Jim, grimly.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside somewhat roughly.
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
in or at that place or location
From this reading “He’s in there, all right,” said Jim, grimly.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside somewhat roughly.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
uncomfortablyadverbUS /ənˈkʌmfərtəbli/
in physical discomfort
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “The question is: how are we going to get him out?
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
whistledverbUS /ˈwɪsəld/
past form of “whistle” — make whistling sounds
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
the words that are spoken
From this reading No sooner were the words out of Don’s mouth than a burst of flame came from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close to their heads.
an affirmative
From this reading “Yes, there must be a regular hiding place in there,” responded Ned.
