used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading He now knew how to account for the flickering light in the upper story of the warehouse.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading Hargreave was alive, he had escaped; Braine was as certain of this fact as he was of his own breathing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His clothes were soiled and damp, his hat was gone.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Hargreave was alive, he had escaped; Braine was as certain of this fact as he was of his own breathing.
Braine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Braine crawled from his uncomfortable hiding place.
breadthnounUS /bredθ/
the capacity to understand a broad range of topics
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
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 Hargreave was alive, he had escaped; Braine was as certain of this fact as he was of his own breathing.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading Hargreave was alive, he had escaped; Braine was as certain of this fact as he was of his own breathing.
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
clothing in general
From this reading His clothes were soiled and damp, his hat was gone.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Braine crawled from his uncomfortable hiding place.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading His clothes were soiled and damp, his hat was gone.
having escaped, especially from confinement
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading Hargreave was alive, he had escaped; Braine was as certain of this fact as he was of his own breathing.
flickeringadjectiveUS /ˈflɪkərɪŋ/
shining unsteadily
From this reading He now knew how to account for the flickering light in the upper story of the warehouse.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Braine crawled from his uncomfortable hiding place.
destroyed or killed
From this reading His clothes were soiled and damp, his hat was gone.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
hair'snounUS /herz/
possessive form of “hair” — a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
Hargreave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hargreave was alive, he had escaped; Braine was as certain of this fact as he was of his own breathing.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading His clothes were soiled and damp, his hat was gone.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
hidingnounUS /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of keeping something secret
From this reading Braine crawled from his uncomfortable hiding place.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Braine crawled from his uncomfortable hiding place.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He now knew how to account for the flickering light in the upper story of the warehouse.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He now knew how to account for the flickering light in the upper story of the warehouse.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading He now knew how to account for the flickering light in the upper story of the warehouse.
set down according to a plan
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He now knew how to account for the flickering light in the upper story of the warehouse.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He now knew how to account for the flickering light in the upper story of the warehouse.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Hargreave was alive, he had escaped; Braine was as certain of this fact as he was of his own breathing.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Hargreave was alive, he had escaped; Braine was as certain of this fact as he was of his own breathing.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Braine crawled from his uncomfortable hiding place.
soiledadjectiveUS /sɔɪld/
soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime
From this reading His clothes were soiled and damp, his hat was gone.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading He now knew how to account for the flickering light in the upper story of the warehouse.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Hargreave was alive, he had escaped; Braine was as certain of this fact as he was of his own breathing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He now knew how to account for the flickering light in the upper story of the warehouse.
trapnounUS /træp/
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading By a hair's breadth he had escaped the clever trap laid for him.
uncomfortableadjectiveUS /ənˈkʌmfərtəbəl/
conducive to or feeling mental discomfort
From this reading Braine crawled from his uncomfortable hiding place.
the topmost one of two
From this reading He now knew how to account for the flickering light in the upper story of the warehouse.
warehousenounUS /ˈwerhaʊs/
a storehouse for goods and merchandise
From this reading He now knew how to account for the flickering light in the upper story of the warehouse.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His clothes were soiled and damp, his hat was gone.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His clothes were soiled and damp, his hat was gone.
