used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Better keep back until I get out my gun!”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading Better keep back until I get out my gun!”
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
canyonnounUS /ˈkænjən/
a ravine formed by a river in an area with little rainfall
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading “What is it, Captain Joe?”
cedarnounUS /ˈsiːdər/
any of numerous trees of the family Cupressaceae that resemble cedars
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
ClaynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
clingingverbUS /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
without stop or interruption
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
cubnounUS /kʌb/
an awkward and inexperienced youth
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
a boy or man
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
fragileadjectiveUS /ˈfrædʒəl/
easily broken or damaged or destroyed
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Better keep back until I get out my gun!”
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Better keep back until I get out my gun!”
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
handledadjectiveUS /ˈhændəld/
having a usually specified type of handle
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Better keep back until I get out my gun!”
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “What is it, Captain Joe?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “What is it, Captain Joe?”
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What is it, Captain Joe?”
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Better keep back until I get out my gun!”
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Better keep back until I get out my gun!”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Better keep back until I get out my gun!”
pacesnounUS /ˈpeɪsɪz/
plural of “pace” — the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
cut with a saw
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
snarlverbUS /snɑːrl/
utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
express in words
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
thicketnounUS /ˈθɪkɪt/
a dense growth of bushes
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Clay asked, as if Captain Joe could turn around and tell him what he saw in the thicket under the cedar trees.
underbrushnounUS /ˈʌndərbrʌʃ/
the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Better keep back until I get out my gun!”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What is it, Captain Joe?”
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Captain Joe continued to snarl at the thicket, and Clay advanced a few paces and peered under the underbrush which was clinging for fragile support to the floor of the canyon.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Go slow, old fellow, for it may be a beast you can’t handle as easily as you handled the cub.
