used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
admonitionnounUS /ˌædməˈnɪʃən/
cautionary advice about something imminent (especially imminent danger or other unpleasantness)
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Then an answering look of horror crept into his eyes.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading It was a bobcat, one of the most vicious of the wild animals.
answeringadjectiveUS /ˈænsərɪŋ/
replying
From this reading Then an answering look of horror crept into his eyes.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
Bob'snounUS /bɑːbz/
possessive form of “bob” — a former monetary unit in Great Britain
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
bobcatnounUS /ˈbɑːbkæt/
small lynx of North America
From this reading It was a bobcat, one of the most vicious of the wild animals.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Then an answering look of horror crept into his eyes.
CROUCHINGverbUS /ˈkraʊtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
without deviation
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
disregardingadverbUS /ˌdɪsrɪˈɡɑːrdɪŋ/
in spite of everything; without regard to drawbacks
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Then an answering look of horror crept into his eyes.
ferociousadjectiveUS /fərˈoʊʃəs/
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
flattenedadjectiveUS /ˈflætənd/
having been flattened
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
furryadjectiveUS /ˈfɜːri/
covered with a dense coat of fine silky hairs
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
a long fixed look
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
intense and profound fear
From this reading Then an answering look of horror crept into his eyes.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
instinctivelyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈstɪŋktɪvliː/
as a matter of instinct
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Then an answering look of horror crept into his eyes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a bobcat, one of the most vicious of the wild animals.
to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Then an answering look of horror crept into his eyes.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
used to form the superlative
From this reading It was a bobcat, one of the most vicious of the wild animals.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
not any; not one
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was a bobcat, one of the most vicious of the wild animals.
overgrownadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈɡroʊn/
covered with growing plants
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
overhangingverbUS /ˈoʊvərhæŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “overhang” — project over
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
with speed
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
screwedverbUS /skruːd/
past form of “screw” — have sexual intercourse with
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
sleekadjectiveUS /sliːk/
well-groomed and neatly tailored; especially too well-groomed
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
stubbyadjectiveUS /ˈstʌbi/
short and blunt
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
tameverbUS /teɪm/
correct by punishment or discipline
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then an answering look of horror crept into his eyes.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
up to a particular time
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
viciousadjectiveUS /ˈvɪʃəs/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading It was a bobcat, one of the most vicious of the wild animals.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There, directly above him, crouching low on an overhanging branch of the tree, was an animal that looked like nothing so much as an overgrown house cat.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading It was a bobcat, one of the most vicious of the wild animals.
WILDCATnounUS /ˈwaɪldkæt/
an exploratory oil well drilled in land not known to be an oil field
From this reading THE CROUCHING WILDCAT Startled by the tone of Bob’s voice, the boys turned quickly, and Jimmy, disregarding his admonition not to move, screwed around till he could follow Bob’s gaze.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading But instinctively the boys knew that those ferocious yellow eyes and small stubby ears flattened close to a sleek furry head belonged to no tame animal.
