used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading He waited until the visitor was approaching the bunk before he slid along the wall, closing the door and putting his shoulders against it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading He waited until the visitor was approaching the bunk before he slid along the wall, closing the door and putting his shoulders against it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But he did not hurl himself at the figure now easing the door farther open.
aroused or activated
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
bunknounUS /bʌŋk/
a long trough for feeding cattle
From this reading He waited until the visitor was approaching the bunk before he slid along the wall, closing the door and putting his shoulders against it.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he did not hurl himself at the figure now easing the door farther open.
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading He waited until the visitor was approaching the bunk before he slid along the wall, closing the door and putting his shoulders against it.
darkenedadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːrkənd/
(of fabrics and paper) grown dark in color over time
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But he did not hurl himself at the figure now easing the door farther open.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
easingnounUS /ˈiːzɪŋ/
a change for the better
From this reading But he did not hurl himself at the figure now easing the door farther open.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading But he did not hurl himself at the figure now easing the door farther open.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading But he did not hurl himself at the figure now easing the door farther open.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading But he did not hurl himself at the figure now easing the door farther open.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
hurlverbUS /hɜːrl/
throw forcefully
From this reading But he did not hurl himself at the figure now easing the door farther open.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He waited until the visitor was approaching the bunk before he slid along the wall, closing the door and putting his shoulders against it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But he did not hurl himself at the figure now easing the door farther open.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
pitchnounUS /pɪtʃ/
the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
From this reading "What's the pitch?"
hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter
From this reading He waited until the visitor was approaching the bunk before he slid along the wall, closing the door and putting his shoulders against it.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
RossnounUS /rɑːs/
Scottish explorer who led Arctic expeditions that yielded geographic discoveries while searching for the Northwest Passage (1777-1856)
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading He waited until the visitor was approaching the bunk before he slid along the wall, closing the door and putting his shoulders against it.
shufflingnounUS /ˈʃʌflɪŋ/
walking with a slow dragging motion without lifting your feet
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
slidverbUS /slɪd/
inflected form of “slide” — move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading He waited until the visitor was approaching the bunk before he slid along the wall, closing the door and putting his shoulders against it.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
the season of growth
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading He waited until the visitor was approaching the bunk before he slid along the wall, closing the door and putting his shoulders against it.
someone who visits
From this reading He waited until the visitor was approaching the bunk before he slid along the wall, closing the door and putting his shoulders against it.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading He waited until the visitor was approaching the bunk before he slid along the wall, closing the door and putting his shoulders against it.
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 Ross stood cautiously against the wall of his darkened room, his head turned toward the slightly open door.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A slight shuffling sound had awakened him, and he was now as ready as a cat before her spring.
What's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What's the pitch?"
