used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A single guard kept watch at the door.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A single guard kept watch at the door.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
cat-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
Cleo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
past form of “deliver” — deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading A single guard kept watch at the door.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
echoverbUS /ˈekoʊ/
to say again or imitate
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
opinion or judgment
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading A single guard kept watch at the door.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
jailnounUS /dʒeɪl/
a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading A single guard kept watch at the door.
lawnnounUS /lɔːn/
a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
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 She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
looselyadverbUS /ˈluːsli/
in a relaxed manner; not rigid
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
the light of the Moon
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
musketnounUS /ˈmʌskət/
a muzzle-loading shoulder gun with a long barrel; formerly used by infantrymen
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
not any; not one
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
piercingadjectiveUS /ˈpɪrsɪŋ/
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
with low volume
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
free from harm or evil
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
rockedverbUS /rɑːkt/
past form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
cut with a saw
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading A single guard kept watch at the door.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
be standing; be upright
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE RESCUE Cleo hurried to the house, delivered the message, rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped through the lawn into the street and back to the jail.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
having come into contact
From this reading She saw him by a flash of moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the long old-fashioned musket he carried loosely across his shoulder.
treadverbUS /tred/
put down or press the foot, place the foot
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
underbrushnounUS /ˈʌndərbrʌʃ/
the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
plural of “wall” — 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 The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
look attentively
From this reading A single guard kept watch at the door.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The cat-like tread left no echo and she took her stand in the underbrush that had pushed its way closer and closer until its branches touched the rear walls of the jail.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eyes watching.
