used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading At last he reached the door, and hurried across the yard and down the corridor to the office.
(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 They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
Billy'snounUS /ˈbɪliz/
possessive form of “billy” — a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
the two together, not just one
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
corridornounUS /ˈkɔːrədər/
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading At last he reached the door, and hurried across the yard and down the corridor to the office.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading At last he reached the door, and hurried across the yard and down the corridor to the office.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Then they wanted to move fast, and he had hard work to slow them down to simply a quick walk.
opinion or judgment
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading Then they wanted to move fast, and he had hard work to slow them down to simply a quick walk.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Then they wanted to move fast, and he had hard work to slow them down to simply a quick walk.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Then they wanted to move fast, and he had hard work to slow them down to simply a quick walk.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading At last he reached the door, and hurried across the yard and down the corridor to the office.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
immediately past
From this reading At last he reached the door, and hurried across the yard and down the corridor to the office.
staying power
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
engage in
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Then they wanted to move fast, and he had hard work to slow them down to simply a quick walk.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading At last he reached the door, and hurried across the yard and down the corridor to the office.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading Then they wanted to move fast, and he had hard work to slow them down to simply a quick walk.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading At last he reached the door, and hurried across the yard and down the corridor to the office.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
and nothing more
From this reading Then they wanted to move fast, and he had hard work to slow them down to simply a quick walk.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading Then they wanted to move fast, and he had hard work to slow them down to simply a quick walk.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
(especially of eyes) bulging or protruding as with fear
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They grew so heavy that, for a minute, he couldn’t lift them at all.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
hard to endure
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading But he kept on trying, and finally succeeded in pulling up first one, and then the other, and in starting them both.
precisely as stated
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading Then they wanted to move fast, and he had hard work to slow them down to simply a quick walk.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading Then they wanted to move fast, and he had hard work to slow them down to simply a quick walk.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading A SURPRISE OR TWO The sight of the key did something more than to make Billy’s eyes open very wide; it struck to his legs.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Then they wanted to move fast, and he had hard work to slow them down to simply a quick walk.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading At last he reached the door, and hurried across the yard and down the corridor to the office.
