used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox's side.
at or in the front
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
aimverbUS /eɪm/
point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
argueverbUS /ˈɑːrɡjuː/
present reasons and arguments
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
BARNnounUS /bɑːrn/
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox's side.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
cadetsnounUS /kəˈdets/
plural of “cadet” — a military trainee (as at a military academy)
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
gotten under control
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox's side.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
fox'snounUS /ˈfɑːksəz/
possessive form of “fox” — alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs
From this reading His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox's side.
Gif
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
hastyadjectiveUS /ˈheɪsti/
excessively quick
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
a small worthless amount
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
leapnounUS /liːp/
a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
not any; not one
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox's side.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox's side.
and nothing more
From this reading His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox's side.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
piercedadjectiveUS /pɪrst/
having a hole cut through
From this reading His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox's side.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
with speed
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
the event of something being raised upward
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
RobinsonnounUS /ˈrɑːbənsən/
English chemist noted for his studies of molecular structures in plants (1886-1975)
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
express in words
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
scatteringnounUS /ˈskætərɪŋ/
a small number (of something) dispersed haphazardly
From this reading His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox's side.
hit with a missile from a weapon
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox's side.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox's side.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading "Go ahead, Gif," said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
There's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
WallopverbUS /ˈwɑːləp/
hit hard
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED "There's your chance," whispered Wallop to the cadets.
