used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
how long something has existed
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
alertnessnounUS /əˈlɜːrtnəs/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
arousedadjectiveUS /ərˈaʊzd/
aroused to action
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
on or to one side
From this reading One blow caught the eagle full upon its feathered breast, knocking him aside.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading As the bird, with a savage scream, swooped down at him, Roy lashed out with his bare fists.
attackingadjectiveUS /əˈtækɪŋ/
disposed to attack
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
completely unclothed
From this reading As the bird, with a savage scream, swooped down at him, Roy lashed out with his bare fists.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
exhale hard
From this reading One blow caught the eagle full upon its feathered breast, knocking him aside.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading One blow caught the eagle full upon its feathered breast, knocking him aside.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading One blow caught the eagle full upon its feathered breast, knocking him aside.
a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
confrontedverbUS /kənˈfrʌntəd/
past form of “confront” — oppose, as in hostility or a competition
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
defensenounUS /dɪˈfens/
(military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
dependverbUS /dɪˈpend/
be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading As the bird, with a savage scream, swooped down at him, Roy lashed out with his bare fists.
dwellernounUS /ˈdwelər/
a person who inhabits a particular place
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
eaglenounUS /ˈiːɡəl/
any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight
From this reading One blow caught the eagle full upon its feathered breast, knocking him aside.
emergencynounUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi/
a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
featheredadjectiveUS /ˈfeðərd/
adorned with feathers or plumes
From this reading One blow caught the eagle full upon its feathered breast, knocking him aside.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
fistsnounUS /fɪsts/
plural of “fist” — a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)
From this reading As the bird, with a savage scream, swooped down at him, Roy lashed out with his bare fists.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading One blow caught the eagle full upon its feathered breast, knocking him aside.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
hoveringverbUS /ˈhʌvərɪŋ/
-ing form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
intentnounUS /ˌɪnˈtent/
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading One blow caught the eagle full upon its feathered breast, knocking him aside.
jerkedverbUS /dʒɜːrkt/
past form of “jerk” — pull, or move with a sudden movement
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
knockingnounUS /ˈnɑːkɪŋ/
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
From this reading One blow caught the eagle full upon its feathered breast, knocking him aside.
a boy or man
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
lashedverbUS /læʃt/
past form of “lash” — beat severely with a whip or rod
From this reading As the bird, with a savage scream, swooped down at him, Roy lashed out with his bare fists.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
Manley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
ObliviousadjectiveUS /əˈblɪviəs/
(followed by “to” or “of”) lacking conscious awareness of
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One blow caught the eagle full upon its feathered breast, knocking him aside.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading As the bird, with a savage scream, swooped down at him, Roy lashed out with his bare fists.
poisedadjectiveUS /pɔɪzd/
marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
PrimitiveadjectiveUS /ˈprɪmətɪv/
belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
promptverbUS /prɑːmpt/
give an incentive for action
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
ranchernounUS /ˈræntʃər/
a person who owns or operates a ranch
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
Roy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
except for; apart from
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
cut with a saw
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
screamverbUS /skriːm/
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading As the bird, with a savage scream, swooped down at him, Roy lashed out with his bare fists.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
swoopedverbUS /swuːpt/
past form of “swoop” — move down on as if in an attack
From this reading As the bird, with a savage scream, swooped down at him, Roy lashed out with his bare fists.
TacticsnounUS /ˈtæktɪks/
the branch of military science dealing with detailed maneuvers to achieve objectives set by strategy
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He realized that he must, in this emergency, depend for defense upon his hands alone--as must have an ancient dweller in a cave of the stone age.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
at the time that
From this reading Primitive Tactics When Roy Manley saw the great bird above him, poised and hovering, ready to strike, something in the lad suddenly jerked him to his feet in prompt alertness.
in the company of; together with
From this reading As the bird, with a savage scream, swooped down at him, Roy lashed out with his bare fists.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Oblivious of everything save that he was confronted by a creature intent upon attacking him, the savage, primitive man was aroused in the young rancher.
