used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
anew
From this reading "There it goes again!
AMBUSHverbUS /ˈæmbʊʃ/
wait in hiding to attack
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
ashoreadverbUS /əˈʃɔːr/
towards the shore from the water
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
bunchnounUS /bʌntʃ/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
without stop or interruption
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
criminalsnounUS /ˈkrɪmənəlz/
plural of “criminal” — someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
doesn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
divisible by two
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
From this reading "There it goes again!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
come to pass
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
JerrynounUS /ˈdʒeri/
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
no person; not anyone
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
and nothing more
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
peckverbUS /pek/
hit lightly with a picking motion
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
shacknounUS /ʃæk/
small crude shelter used as a dwelling
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
carry out
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
a source of difficulty
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
tumbledverbUS /ˈtʌmbəld/
past form of “tumble” — fall down, as if collapsing
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
turtlenounUS /ˈtɜːrtəl/
a sweater or jersey with a high close-fitting collar
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I was afraid there might be a bunch of criminals ashore, and that Jerry had tumbled into a peck of trouble," continued the other.
at the time that
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "Only when the turtle season is on, which doesn't happen to be now," replied Frank.
which person or people
From this reading "Oh, it happened to be only a hollow tree he dropped into," said the hero of the adventure, who could take a joke even when it happened to be on himself.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading LYING IN AMBUSH FOR BIG GAME "Nobody lives in that old shack, then?" inquired Will.
