used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
advancingadjectiveUS /ədˈvænsɪŋ/
moving forward
From this reading Behind the six advancing swordsmen rode their commander.
alleynounUS /ˈæli/
a narrow street with walls on both sides
From this reading Well then, back down the alley, and around the corner to the main gate.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Well then, back down the alley, and around the corner to the main gate.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Well then, back down the alley, and around the corner to the main gate.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Well then, back down the alley, and around the corner to the main gate.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind the six advancing swordsmen rode their commander.
bladesnounUS /bleɪdz/
plural of “blade” — especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/
(of a surface) not written or printed on
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
caravanserainoun
an inn in some eastern countries with a large courtyard that provides accommodation for caravans
From this reading The side entrance to the _caravanserai_ was closed.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading The side entrance to the _caravanserai_ was closed.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
an officer in command of a military unit
From this reading Behind the six advancing swordsmen rode their commander.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Well then, back down the alley, and around the corner to the main gate.
crescentnounUS /ˈkresənt/
any shape resembling the curved shape of the moon in its first or last quarters
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Well then, back down the alley, and around the corner to the main gate.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading The side entrance to the _caravanserai_ was closed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading Well then, back down the alley, and around the corner to the main gate.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
most important element
From this reading Well then, back down the alley, and around the corner to the main gate.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
RankinnounUS /ˈræŋkɪn/
leader in the women's suffrage movement in Montana; the first woman to serve in the United States House of Representatives (1880-1973)
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
retraceverbUS /riˈtreɪs/
to go back over again
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
precisely, exactly
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading Behind the six advancing swordsmen rode their commander.
cut with a saw
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The side entrance to the _caravanserai_ was closed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading Behind the six advancing swordsmen rode their commander.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
swordsmen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the six advancing swordsmen rode their commander.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The side entrance to the _caravanserai_ was closed.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Behind the six advancing swordsmen rode their commander.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Well then, back down the alley, and around the corner to the main gate.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The side entrance to the _caravanserai_ was closed.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
plural of “wall” — 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 For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The side entrance to the _caravanserai_ was closed.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
(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 Well then, back down the alley, and around the corner to the main gate.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
at the time that
From this reading But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place.
