used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
ASTRAYadverbUS /əˈstreɪ/
away from the right path or direction
From this reading ASTRAY ON THE HILLS Leaving the hall, Douglas walked slowly up the road.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
autonounUS /ˈɔːtoʊ/
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Ben'snounUS /benz/
possessive form of “ben” — a mountain or tall hill
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
DouglasnounUS /ˈdʌɡləs/
United States politician who proposed that individual territories be allowed to decide whether they would have slavery; he engaged in a famous series of debates with Abraham Lincoln (1813-1861)
From this reading ASTRAY ON THE HILLS Leaving the hall, Douglas walked slowly up the road.
the operator of a motor vehicle
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
an old word for “before”
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
grimlyadverbUS /ˈɡrɪmli/
in a grim implacable manner
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading ASTRAY ON THE HILLS Leaving the hall, Douglas walked slowly up the road.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading ASTRAY ON THE HILLS Leaving the hall, Douglas walked slowly up the road.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
the act of departing
From this reading ASTRAY ON THE HILLS Leaving the hall, Douglas walked slowly up the road.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
nowherenounUS /ˈnoʊwer/
an insignificant place
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ASTRAY ON THE HILLS Leaving the hall, Douglas walked slowly up the road.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
overtookverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈtʊk/
inflected form of “overtake” — catch up with and possibly overtake
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
action taken in return for an injury or offense
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading ASTRAY ON THE HILLS Leaving the hall, Douglas walked slowly up the road.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading ASTRAY ON THE HILLS Leaving the hall, Douglas walked slowly up the road.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
move hurridly
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
suitableadjectiveUS /ˈsuːtəbəl/
meant or adapted for an occasion or use
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
express in words
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ASTRAY ON THE HILLS Leaving the hall, Douglas walked slowly up the road.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading ASTRAY ON THE HILLS Leaving the hall, Douglas walked slowly up the road.
precisely as stated
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading ASTRAY ON THE HILLS Leaving the hall, Douglas walked slowly up the road.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He had partly expected to find Ben waiting outside, but he was nowhere to be seen.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Douglas had not gone far, however, ere an auto overtook him and went by at great speed.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
which person or people
From this reading He knew very well who was the driver, though he could not tell how many were in the car.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
wreakverbUS /riːk/
cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
From this reading He smiled grimly to himself as he thought of Ben's anger, and he wondered in what way he would try to wreak a suitable revenge.
