used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Before he could speak a word the latter squared off before him aggressively.
afireadjectiveUS /əˈfaɪr/
lighted up by or as by fire or flame
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
aggressivelyadverbUS /əˈɡresɪvli/
in an aggressive manner
From this reading Before he could speak a word the latter squared off before him aggressively.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading "What do you mean?" he demanded, the dog dropping from his arms to the floor.
Arsdale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Donaldson drew back, frightened by the question.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before he could speak a word the latter squared off before him aggressively.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
confrontedverbUS /kənˈfrʌntəd/
past form of “confront” — oppose, as in hostility or a competition
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Before he could speak a word the latter squared off before him aggressively.
past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully
From this reading "What the devil have you done to my sister?" he demanded.
(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
From this reading "What the devil have you done to my sister?" he demanded.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "What do you mean?" he demanded, the dog dropping from his arms to the floor.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading "What do you mean?" he demanded, the dog dropping from his arms to the floor.
Donaldson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading "What the devil have you done to my sister?" he demanded.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Donaldson drew back, frightened by the question.
the act of consuming liquids
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
droppingadjectiveUS /ˈdrɑːpɪŋ/
coming down freely under the influence of gravity
From this reading "What do you mean?" he demanded, the dog dropping from his arms to the floor.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
opinion or judgment
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading "What do you mean?" he demanded, the dog dropping from his arms to the floor.
made afraid
From this reading Donaldson drew back, frightened by the question.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "What do you mean?" he demanded, the dog dropping from his arms to the floor.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "What the devil have you done to my sister?" he demanded.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Before he could speak a word the latter squared off before him aggressively.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "What do you mean?" he demanded, the dog dropping from his arms to the floor.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)
From this reading Before he could speak a word the latter squared off before him aggressively.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "What do you mean?" he demanded, the dog dropping from his arms to the floor.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "What the devil have you done to my sister?" he demanded.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Before he could speak a word the latter squared off before him aggressively.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Donaldson drew back, frightened by the question.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading "What the devil have you done to my sister?" he demanded.
express in speech
From this reading Before he could speak a word the latter squared off before him aggressively.
squaredadjectiveUS /skwerd/
having been made square
From this reading Before he could speak a word the latter squared off before him aggressively.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "What the devil have you done to my sister?" he demanded.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What the devil have you done to my sister?" he demanded.
at the time that
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
belonging to which person
From this reading _The End of the Beginning_ When Donaldson appeared at the door of the Arsdale house he was confronted by Ben whose eyes were afire as though he had been drinking.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Before he could speak a word the latter squared off before him aggressively.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What the devil have you done to my sister?" he demanded.
