used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
anew
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
(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 Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Nicky, frantically tugging to loosen the cut rope, saw Tew coming but was as helpless as Tom.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
bladenounUS /bleɪd/
especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
exhale hard
From this reading Cliff dropped his knife and tried to get up, to turn, to ward off the blow.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
a steep high face of rock
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Nicky, frantically tugging to loosen the cut rope, saw Tew coming but was as helpless as Tom.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Nicky, frantically tugging to loosen the cut rope, saw Tew coming but was as helpless as Tom.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading Cliff dropped his knife and tried to get up, to turn, to ward off the blow.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
foursnounUS /fɔːrz/
plural of “four” — the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
franticallyadverbUS /ˈfræntəkəli/
in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading Nicky, frantically tugging to loosen the cut rope, saw Tew coming but was as helpless as Tom.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Cliff dropped his knife and tried to get up, to turn, to ward off the blow.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
From this reading Nicky, frantically tugging to loosen the cut rope, saw Tew coming but was as helpless as Tom.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
loosenverbUS /ˈluːsən/
make loose or looser
From this reading Nicky, frantically tugging to loosen the cut rope, saw Tew coming but was as helpless as Tom.
loosenedadjectiveUS /ˈluːsənd/
straightened out
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
Nicky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
Nicky's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
not any; not one
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Cliff dropped his knife and tried to get up, to turn, to ward off the blow.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
rippingadjectiveUS /ˈrɪpɪŋ/
resembling a sound of violent tearing as of something ripped apart or lightning splitting a tree
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
a strong line
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
cut with a saw
From this reading Nicky, frantically tugging to loosen the cut rope, saw Tew coming but was as helpless as Tom.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
slashedadjectiveUS /slæʃt/
patterned by having color applied with sweeping strokes
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
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 Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
Tew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nicky, frantically tugging to loosen the cut rope, saw Tew coming but was as helpless as Tom.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Nicky, frantically tugging to loosen the cut rope, saw Tew coming but was as helpless as Tom.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nicky, frantically tugging to loosen the cut rope, saw Tew coming but was as helpless as Tom.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
male cat
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading Cliff dropped his knife and tried to get up, to turn, to ward off the blow.
tuggingverbUS /ˈtʌɡɪŋ/
inflected form of “tug” — pull hard
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading Cliff dropped his knife and tried to get up, to turn, to ward off the blow.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
wardnounUS /wɔːrd/
a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another
From this reading Cliff dropped his knife and tried to get up, to turn, to ward off the blow.
a message informing of danger
From this reading He slashed at Nicky’s rope, and loosened it; again he slashed and then, at a warning cry from Tom, he looked over his shoulder, but too late.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Cliff, landing on all fours, beside Nicky, was up on his knees in an instant, tugging his knife from his pocket, ripping open its blade.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Things happened so fast and so thick that no one could have told a story of all that went on.
