Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He seemed about to plunge back into the tangle whence he had come.

higher than, or over, something

From this reading "Don't do that!" said Mollie, hardly above a whisper.

(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 For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

a formal public statement

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading He seemed about to plunge back into the tangle whence he had come.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

a small vessel for travel on water

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

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 For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

plural of “chum” — a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading He seemed about to plunge back into the tangle whence he had come.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "Don't do that!" said Mollie, hardly above a whisper.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Don't do that!" said Mollie, hardly above a whisper.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

a state in southeastern United States between the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

a mental representation of some haunting experience

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He seemed about to plunge back into the tangle whence he had come.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

only a very short time before

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He seemed about to plunge back into the tangle whence he had come.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

a worthless lazy fellow

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

the location of something surrounded by other things

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

popular aquarium fish

From this reading "Don't do that!" said Mollie, hardly above a whisper.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

in motion

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

by chance

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

thrust or throw into

From this reading He seemed about to plunge back into the tangle whence he had come.

capable of happening or existing

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

one of four equal parts

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

free from harm or evil

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Don't do that!" said Mollie, hardly above a whisper.

only a very short time before

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading He seemed about to plunge back into the tangle whence he had come.

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

having your attention fixated as though by a spell

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

having a supporting base

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

a group of people attractively arranged (as if in a painting)

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven

From this reading He seemed about to plunge back into the tangle whence he had come.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading On their part, Betty and her chums, following the half-whispered announcement made by Betty, stared at The Loon almost as if he might be a ghost of the Florida forest.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading For perhaps a quarter of a minute they all remained thus, scarcely moving--hardly breathing--and then the young man made a slow turn.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.

an old word meaning “from where”

From this reading He seemed about to plunge back into the tangle whence he had come.

speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords

From this reading "Don't do that!" said Mollie, hardly above a whisper.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading TO THE RESCUE For a few seconds it was like a tableau, the strange young man, more ragged than before (if that were possible) standing in the midst of the clearing, and gazing as though spellbound at the girls in the motor boat.