used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
(sentence connectors) because of the reason given
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
(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 All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading For awhile the boy was too astonished to move.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
awhileadverbUS /əˈwaɪl/
for a short time
From this reading For awhile the boy was too astonished to move.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
bondsnounUS /bɑːndz/
plural of “bond” — an electrical force linking atoms
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
a youthful male person
From this reading For awhile the boy was too astonished to move.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
chinanounUS /ˈtʃaɪnə/
a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
having come or been brought to a conclusion
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
dollnounUS /dɑːl/
a small replica of a person; used as a toy
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
a boy or man
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For awhile the boy was too astonished to move.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
GnomesnounUS /noʊmz/
plural of “gnome” — a legendary creature resembling a tiny old man; lives in the depths of the earth and guards buried treasure
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
lifelessadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪfləs/
deprived of life; no longer living
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
not in physical motion
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading For awhile the boy was too astonished to move.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
not any; not one
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ON TOP.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
oppositionnounUS /ˌɑːpəˈzɪʃən/
the action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
paralyzedadjectiveUS /ˈperəlaɪzd/
affected with paralysis
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
participate in games or sport
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
prostrateverbUS /ˈprɑːstreɪt/
get into a prostrate position, as in submission
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
rigidadjectiveUS /ˈrɪdʒəd/
incapable of or resistant to bending
From this reading All of the Gnomes at that end of the Hall were lying prostrate on the floor, rigid and motionless, as if paralyzed.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For awhile the boy was too astonished to move.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For awhile the boy was too astonished to move.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading For awhile the boy was too astonished to move.
the upper part of anything
From this reading ON TOP.
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
hard to endure
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
upwardsadverbUS /ˈʌpwərdz/
spatially or metaphorically from a lower to a higher position
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
vacantlyadverb
in a vacant manner
From this reading Harry turned one of them over, and the little fellow lay staring vacantly upwards with open eyes, and seemed as lifeless as a china doll.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For awhile the boy was too astonished to move.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
at the time that
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading At first he thought it was some trick they were trying to play upon him; but when he slipped the bonds from his neck and limbs without meeting with any opposition, he concluded that it could be no trick, and accordingly sprang to his feet.
