used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
(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 “I cain’t understand it at all,” he said.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading “If we missed getting one of the bandits, he wouldn’t be staying around here.
arroyonounUS /ərˈɔɪoʊ/
a stream or brook
From this reading The shot undeniably had been fired from the brush-tangled arroyo.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “I cain’t understand it at all,” he said.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading By this time, he’d be miles away.”
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
banditsnounUS /ˈbændəts/
plural of “bandit” — an armed thief who is (usually) a member of a band
From this reading “If we missed getting one of the bandits, he wouldn’t be staying around here.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The shot undeniably had been fired from the brush-tangled arroyo.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
brush-tangled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shot undeniably had been fired from the brush-tangled arroyo.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By this time, he’d be miles away.”
cain't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I cain’t understand it at all,” he said.
conferredverbUS /kənˈfɜːrd/
inflected form of “confer” — have a conference in order to talk something over
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading The shot undeniably had been fired from the brush-tangled arroyo.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The shot undeniably had been fired from the brush-tangled arroyo.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading “If we missed getting one of the bandits, he wouldn’t be staying around here.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The shot undeniably had been fired from the brush-tangled arroyo.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
he'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By this time, he’d be miles away.”
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “If we missed getting one of the bandits, he wouldn’t be staying around here.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I cain’t understand it at all,” he said.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “If we missed getting one of the bandits, he wouldn’t be staying around here.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I cain’t understand it at all,” he said.
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading By this time, he’d be miles away.”
not caught with the senses or the mind
From this reading “If we missed getting one of the bandits, he wouldn’t be staying around here.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “If we missed getting one of the bandits, he wouldn’t be staying around here.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “If we missed getting one of the bandits, he wouldn’t be staying around here.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “I cain’t understand it at all,” he said.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading The shot undeniably had been fired from the brush-tangled arroyo.
stayingverbUS /ˈsteɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading “If we missed getting one of the bandits, he wouldn’t be staying around here.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
targetnounUS /ˈtɑːrɡət/
a reference point to shoot at
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The shot undeniably had been fired from the brush-tangled arroyo.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading By this time, he’d be miles away.”
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading By this time, he’d be miles away.”
undeniablyadverbUS /ˌʌndɪˈnaɪəbli/
to an undeniable degree or in an undeniable manner
From this reading The shot undeniably had been fired from the brush-tangled arroyo.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading “I cain’t understand it at all,” he said.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “If we missed getting one of the bandits, he wouldn’t be staying around here.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Jerry stepped back that he might not be a helpless target while he conferred with the other boys.
wouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If we missed getting one of the bandits, he wouldn’t be staying around here.
