adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
afraidadjectiveUS /əˈfreɪd/
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading Then the black bear decided to be afraid, and lumbered back into the bushes.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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 Not all were little.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
animalsnounUS /ˈænəməlz/
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading No human beings saw him, but the wild animals took more than one look.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Then the black bear decided to be afraid, and lumbered back into the bushes.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Then the black bear decided to be afraid, and lumbered back into the bushes.
bearverbUS /ber/
have
From this reading Then the black bear decided to be afraid, and lumbered back into the bushes.
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
beingsnounUS /ˈbiːɪŋz/
plural of “being” — the state or fact of existing
From this reading No human beings saw him, but the wild animals took more than one look.
bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
blackadjectiveUS /blæk/
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Then the black bear decided to be afraid, and lumbered back into the bushes.
boynounUS /bɔɪ/
a youthful male person
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
brutenounUS /bruːt/
a cruelly rapacious person
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
bushesnounUS /ˈbʊʃəz/
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading Then the black bear decided to be afraid, and lumbered back into the bushes.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading No human beings saw him, but the wild animals took more than one look.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
clumsyadjectiveUS /ˈklʌmzi/
lacking grace in movement or posture
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
comicadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmɪk/
arousing or provoking laughter
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
curiousadjectiveUS /ˈkjʊriəs/
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
decidedadjectiveUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd/
recognizable; marked
From this reading Then the black bear decided to be afraid, and lumbered back into the bushes.
DicknounUS /dɪk/
someone who is a detective
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
edgenounUS /edʒ/
the boundary of a surface
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading No human beings saw him, but the wild animals took more than one look.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Then the black bear decided to be afraid, and lumbered back into the bushes.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Not all were little.
lookverbUS /lʊk/
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading No human beings saw him, but the wild animals took more than one look.
lumbered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then the black bear decided to be afraid, and lumbered back into the bushes.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
marshyadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrʃi/
(of soil) soft and watery
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading No human beings saw him, but the wild animals took more than one look.
neededadjectiveUS /ˈniːdəd/
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
NotadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not all were little.
odornounUS /ˈoʊdər/
any property detected by the olfactory system
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading No human beings saw him, but the wild animals took more than one look.
progressnounUS /ˈprɑːɡres/
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/
on the contrary
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading No human beings saw him, but the wild animals took more than one look.
shuffledverbUS /ˈʃʌfəld/
past form of “shuffle” — walk by dragging one's feet
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
sleepingnounUS /ˈsliːpɪŋ/
the state of being asleep
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
sleptverbUS /slept/
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
sniffedverbUS /snɪft/
past form of “sniff” — perceive by inhaling through the nose
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
swampverbUS /swɑːmp/
drench or submerge or be drenched or submerged
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading No human beings saw him, but the wild animals took more than one look.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
ThenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then the black bear decided to be afraid, and lumbered back into the bushes.
thickadjectiveUS /θɪk/
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
thingnounUS /θɪŋ/
a special situation
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
tookverbUS /tʊk/
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading No human beings saw him, but the wild animals took more than one look.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
waggingverbUS /ˈwæɡɪŋ/
inflected form of “wag” — move from side to side
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading One big clumsy brute, wagging his head in a curious, comic way, shuffled up from the edge of the swamp, sniffed the strange human odor, and, still wagging his comic head, came rather close to the sleeping boy.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Not all were little.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
wildadjectiveUS /waɪld/
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading No human beings saw him, but the wild animals took more than one look.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading Dick slept the whole night through, which was a very good thing for him, because he needed it, and because he could have made no progress in the thick darkness through the marshy wilderness.
