used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Not a twig cracked beneath his feet.
anew
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
on or to one side
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Not a twig cracked beneath his feet.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
bushnounUS /bʊʃ/
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
crackedadjectiveUS /krækt/
used of skin roughened as a result of cold or exposure
From this reading Not a twig cracked beneath his feet.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
divisible by two
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Not a twig cracked beneath his feet.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Step just where I step."
impedimentsnounUS /ˌɪmˈpedəmənts/
plural of “impediment” — something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
and nothing more
From this reading Step just where I step."
go away from a place
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
held up in the air
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
moccasinsnounUS /ˈmɑːkəsɪnz/
plural of “moccasin” — soft leather shoe; originally worn by Native Americans
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not a twig cracked beneath his feet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
RESCUEverbUS /ˈreskjuː/
free from harm or evil
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
a particular situation
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
without speaking
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
express in speech
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
the season of growth
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
stealthilyadverb
in a stealthy manner
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Step just where I step."
stockingnounUS /ˈstɑːkɪŋ/
close-fitting hosiery to cover the foot and leg; come in matched pairs (usually used in the plural)
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
carry out
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
thicketnounUS /ˈθɪkɪt/
a dense growth of bushes
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
male cat
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
Tom'snounUS /tɑːmz/
possessive form of “tom” — male cat
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
twigverbUS /twɪɡ/
branch out in a twiglike manner
From this reading Not a twig cracked beneath his feet.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Tom's soft moccasins were better even than stocking feet and he moved down into the thicket stealthily, silently.
in or at the place that
From this reading Step just where I step."
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading He lifted the impediments of branch and bush aside and let them spring easily back into place again without a sound.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading THE RESCUE "Take off your shoes and leave them here," Tom whispered; "and follow me and don't speak.
