used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
using the voice; not silently
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
ArcticnounUS /ˈɑːrktɪk/
the regions to the north of the Arctic Circle centered on the North Pole
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
bearsnounUS /berz/
plural of “bear” — massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/
possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
go after with the intent to catch
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
comfortingadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtɪŋ/
providing freedom from worry
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “And when they do miss me they’ll find me.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
divisible by two
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
opinion or judgment
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading “And when they do miss me they’ll find me.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
messyadjectiveUS /ˈmesi/
dirty and disorderly
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
not any; not one
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
and nothing more
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
having a systematic arrangement; especially having elements succeeding in order according to rule
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
overflowedverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈfloʊd/
past form of “overflow” — flow or run over (a limit or brim)
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
owlsnounUS /aʊlz/
plural of “owl” — nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
with speed
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
on the contrary
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
sharp-billed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
shirt-collar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
carry out
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
terrifyingadjectiveUS /ˈterəfaɪɪŋ/
causing extreme terror
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
in or at that place or location
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
they'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “And when they do miss me they’ll find me.
They're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
precisely as stated
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
walrusesnounUS /ˈwɑːlrəsɪz/
plural of “walrus” — either of two large northern marine mammals having ivory tusks and tough hide over thick blubber
From this reading They were tears of disappointment rather than fear, although certain thoughts of bears and walruses and even great sharp-billed Arctic owls insisted on following one another very rapidly through his mind.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “They’re sure to miss me,” he said aloud, for it was comforting to hear a sound, even if it were only that of his own voice.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
at the time that
From this reading But when five minutes passed and no bears nor other terrifying creatures appeared Billy began to take heart.
in or at the place that
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading THE END OF THE CHASE It must be admitted that there were tears in the little boy’s eyes, tears that overflowed and made damp, messy places on his wide shirt-collar before they could be ordered back where they belonged.
