used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
abackadverbUS /əˈbæk/
having the wind against the forward side of the sails
From this reading But if the lads were taken aback, so was the mother fox.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
(used of persons or the military) characterized by having or bearing arms
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
BLAZEnounUS /bleɪz/
a strong flame that burns brightly
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
bristlingverbUS /ˈbrɪsəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “bristle” — be in a state of movement or action
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But if the lads were taken aback, so was the mother fox.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
opinion or judgment
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
ferocitynounUS /fərˈɑːsəti/
the property of being wild or turbulent
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
firearmsnounUS /ˈfaɪərɑːrmz/
plural of “firearm” — a portable gun
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
fishingnounUS /ˈfɪʃɪŋ/
the act of someone who fishes as a diversion
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs
From this reading But if the lads were taken aback, so was the mother fox.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
gleamedverbUS /ɡliːmd/
past form of “gleam” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading But if the lads were taken aback, so was the mother fox.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
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 AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
plural of “lad” — a boy or man
From this reading But if the lads were taken aback, so was the mother fox.
owning or consisting of land or real estate
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading But if the lads were taken aback, so was the mother fox.
not one, and not any
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
offspringnounUS /ˈɔːfsprɪŋ/
the immediate descendants of a person
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
outfitsnounUS /ˈaʊtfɪts/
plural of “outfit” — any cohesive unit such as a military company
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
rollsnounUS /roʊlz/
plural of “roll” — rotary motion of an object around its own axis
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
shrankverbUS /ʃræŋk/
inflected form of “shrink” — wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
squarelyadverbUS /ˈskwerli/
directly and without evasion; not roundabout
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading But if the lads were taken aback, so was the mother fox.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
not expected or anticipated
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
welfarenounUS /ˈwelfer/
governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need
From this reading Astonishment seemed to give way to fear over the welfare of her offspring and then her eyes gleamed with a sudden ferocity.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED BLAZE For the instant the six boys were so startled that they knew not what to do.
wildlyadverbUS /ˈwaɪldli/
to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree
From this reading She had landed squarely on the floor and now shrank back, hair bristling on end and her eyes staring wildly at what was before her.
in the company of; together with
From this reading None of them was armed, their firearms and their fishing outfits resting on the floor with their rolls.
