used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
ALONGprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading HURRYING MATTERS ALONG “It’s coming just in time!”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
plural of “chance” — a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape.
clamberedverbUS /ˈklæmbərd/
past form of “clamber” — climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
From this reading When the ladder was placed, Dick instantly clambered out, and upon it.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading HURRYING MATTERS ALONG “It’s coming just in time!”
cause to be slowed down or delayed
From this reading A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape.
someone who is a detective
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape.
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
firemennounUS /ˈfaɪrmən/
plural of “fireman” — play in which children pretend to put out a fire
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape.
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
the act of departing
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
headwaynounUS /ˈhedweɪ/
vertical space available to allow easy passage under something
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
plural of “heel” — the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
HURRYINGadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːriɪŋ/
moving with great haste
From this reading HURRYING MATTERS ALONG “It’s coming just in time!”
imperiledverbUS /ˌɪmˈperəld/
past form of “imperil” — pose a threat to; present a danger to
From this reading A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HURRYING MATTERS ALONG “It’s coming just in time!”
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading When the ladder was placed, Dick instantly clambered out, and upon it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When the ladder was placed, Dick instantly clambered out, and upon it.
It's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HURRYING MATTERS ALONG “It’s coming just in time!”
and nothing more
From this reading HURRYING MATTERS ALONG “It’s coming just in time!”
laddernounUS /ˈlædər/
steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading HURRYING MATTERS ALONG “It’s coming just in time!”
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When the ladder was placed, Dick instantly clambered out, and upon it.
arrange in a container
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading When the ladder was placed, Dick instantly clambered out, and upon it.
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
(American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running into the line
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
cut with a saw
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
successive (without a break)
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading HURRYING MATTERS ALONG “It’s coming just in time!”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading When the ladder was placed, Dick instantly clambered out, and upon it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
at the time that
From this reading Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
