used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a smell of gunpowder in the air.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading AWAITING THE POLICE That scream echoed across the blackness.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading There was a smell of gunpowder in the air.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
a gathering of spectators or listeners at a (usually public) performance
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
AWAITINGverbUS /əˈweɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “await” — look forward to the probable occurrence of
From this reading AWAITING THE POLICE That scream echoed across the blackness.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
blacknessnounUS /ˈblæknəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading AWAITING THE POLICE That scream echoed across the blackness.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
Claire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What is it—oh, what is it that’s happened?” gasped Claire McAllister.
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
echoedverbUS /ˈekoʊd/
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading AWAITING THE POLICE That scream echoed across the blackness.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
flaredverbUS /flerd/
past form of “flare” — burn brightly
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
past form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
From this reading “What is it—oh, what is it that’s happened?” gasped Claire McAllister.
gunpowdernounUS /ˈɡʌnpaʊdər/
a mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in a 75:15:10 ratio which is used in gunnery, time fuses, and fireworks
From this reading There was a smell of gunpowder in the air.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading “What is it—oh, what is it that’s happened?” gasped Claire McAllister.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was a smell of gunpowder in the air.
interminablyadverbUS /ˈɪntərmɪnæbli/
all the time; seemingly without stopping
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “What is it—oh, what is it that’s happened?” gasped Claire McAllister.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
immediately past
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
McAllister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What is it—oh, what is it that’s happened?” gasped Claire McAllister.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was a smell of gunpowder in the air.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “What is it—oh, what is it that’s happened?” gasped Claire McAllister.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
the force of policemen and officers
From this reading AWAITING THE POLICE That scream echoed across the blackness.
rungnounUS /rʌŋ/
a crosspiece between the legs of a chair
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
screamverbUS /skriːm/
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading AWAITING THE POLICE That scream echoed across the blackness.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading There was a smell of gunpowder in the air.
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading AWAITING THE POLICE That scream echoed across the blackness.
that's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What is it—oh, what is it that’s happened?” gasped Claire McAllister.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AWAITING THE POLICE That scream echoed across the blackness.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a smell of gunpowder in the air.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It seemed an interminably long time before the lights flared up, and the big curtain was rung down.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading At last it formed a wall between the people on the stage and the people in the audience, all about equally excited by this time.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a smell of gunpowder in the air.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What is it—oh, what is it that’s happened?” gasped Claire McAllister.
