used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DESPERATE FIGHT.
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He came back to his seat and began to munch them very contentedly.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He came back to his seat and began to munch them very contentedly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He came back to his seat and began to munch them very contentedly.
canoenounUS /kəˈnuː/
small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
put or send forth
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
contentedlyadverbUS /kənˈtentədli/
with equanimity
From this reading He came back to his seat and began to munch them very contentedly.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
crackersadjectiveUS /ˈkrækərz/
informal or slang terms for mentally irregular
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading A DESPERATE FIGHT.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading A DESPERATE FIGHT.
figsnounUS /fɪɡz/
plural of “fig” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
the act of departing
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
handfulnounUS /ˈhændfʊl/
a small number or amount
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He came back to his seat and began to munch them very contentedly.
past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He came back to his seat and began to munch them very contentedly.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
mercifuladjectiveUS /ˈmɜːrsɪfəl/
showing or giving mercy
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
used to form the superlative
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
munchnounUS /mʌntʃ/
Norwegian painter (1863-1944)
From this reading He came back to his seat and began to munch them very contentedly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
provisionsnounUS /prəˈvɪʒənz/
a stock or supply of foods
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading He came back to his seat and began to munch them very contentedly.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
express a supposition
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He came back to his seat and began to munch them very contentedly.
a special situation
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The colonel rose, and going down to the canoe helped himself to a handful of crackers and some figs.
precisely as stated
From this reading He came back to his seat and began to munch them very contentedly.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "The most merciful thing we could do would be to cast our provisions into the lake," he said finally.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "It would cut short the agony of waiting, but I don't suppose you would look at it in that way."
