used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading With Boulton lying across the back seat, the four men acted simultaneously.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading With Boulton lying across the back seat, the four men acted simultaneously.
aimlesslyadverbUS /ˈeɪmləsli/
without aim; in an aimless manner
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
attackingadjectiveUS /əˈtækɪŋ/
disposed to attack
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading With Boulton lying across the back seat, the four men acted simultaneously.
barragenounUS /bərˈɑːʒ/
the rapid and continuous delivery of linguistic communication (spoken or written)
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
Boulton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With Boulton lying across the back seat, the four men acted simultaneously.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
centraladjectiveUS /ˈsentrəl/
serving as an essential component
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
clearingnounUS /ˈklɪrɪŋ/
a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
contactnounUS /ˈkɑːntækt/
close interaction
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
emptiedverbUS /ˈemptid/
inflected form of “empty” — make void or empty of contents
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
plural of “fellow” — a boy or man
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading With Boulton lying across the back seat, the four men acted simultaneously.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
injuredadjectiveUS /ˈɪndʒərd/
harmed
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
jeepnounUS /dʒiːp/
a car suitable for traveling over rough terrain
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading With Boulton lying across the back seat, the four men acted simultaneously.
MartiansnounUS /ˈmɑːrʃənz/
plural of “martian” — imaginary people who live on the planet Mars
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
the force of workers available
From this reading With Boulton lying across the back seat, the four men acted simultaneously.
millingnounUS /ˈmɪlɪŋ/
corrugated edge of a coin
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
mobnounUS /mɑːb/
a disorderly crowd of people
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
monstersnounUS /ˈmɑːnstərz/
plural of “monster” — an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
on one occasion
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
and nothing more
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
pistolsnounUS /ˈpɪstəlz/
plural of “pistol” — a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
point-blankadjective
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading With Boulton lying across the back seat, the four men acted simultaneously.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
self-defensenounUS /ˌselfdɪˈfens/
the act of defending yourself
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
simultaneouslyadverbUS /ˌsaɪməlˈteɪniəsli/
at the same instant
From this reading With Boulton lying across the back seat, the four men acted simultaneously.
slugsnounUS /slʌɡz/
plural of “slug” — a projectile that is fired from a gun
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
stumbledverbUS /ˈstʌmbəld/
past form of “stumble” — walk unsteadily
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With Boulton lying across the back seat, the four men acted simultaneously.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading Thinking only of self-defense, they drew their pistols and fired point-blank into the monsters attacking them.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
From this reading As the men emptied their guns, the Martians in front stumbled, fell, rolled over, or began to run aimlessly as the heavy slugs tore through them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
wildlyadverbUS /ˈwaɪldli/
to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree
From this reading They plunged wildly into each other, and before the men in the jeep had finished their barrage, the clearing was a milling, confused mob.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With Boulton lying across the back seat, the four men acted simultaneously.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading They were not easy to kill--which was to be expected of creatures without much of a central consciousness--but on the other hand, once struck or injured, they seemed to lose contact with their fellows and to act wholly without direction.
