used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
Allison
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
avoidedverbUS /əˈvɔɪdɪd/
past form of “avoid” — stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading That was the little water-rat who lived in one of the cottages up in back of the beach.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
BerrynounUS /ˈberi/
any of numerous small and pulpy edible fruits; used as desserts or in making jams and jellies and preserves
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
a youthful male person
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading And he ceased to feel that he was sinking.
ConnecticutnounUS /kəˈnetəkət/
a New England state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
cottagesnounUS /ˈkɑːtɪdʒɪz/
plural of “cottage” — a small house with a single story
From this reading That was the little water-rat who lived in one of the cottages up in back of the beach.
dexterouslyadverb
with dexterity; in a dexterous manner
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
drowningverbUS /ˈdraʊnɪŋ/
-ing form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
fataladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtəl/
bringing death
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading And he ceased to feel that he was sinking.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
gripnounUS /ɡrɪp/
the act of grasping
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
be the source of pain
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
and nothing more
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
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 PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading That was the little water-rat who lived in one of the cottages up in back of the beach.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
not any; not one
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
and nothing more
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
PASTURESnounUS /ˈpæstʃərz/
plural of “pasture” — a field covered with grass or herbage and suitable for grazing by livestock
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
free from harm or evil
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
except for; apart from
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
screamingadjectiveUS /ˈskriːmɪŋ/
so extremely intense as to evoke screams
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
sinkingnounUS /ˈsɪŋkɪŋ/
a descent as through liquid (especially through water)
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
sputteringnounUS /ˈspʌtərɪŋ/
the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
surfnounUS /sɜːrf/
waves breaking on the shore
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
swamverbUS /swæm/
inflected form of “swim” — travel through water
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And he ceased to feel that he was sinking.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading That was the little water-rat who lived in one of the cottages up in back of the beach.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
water-rat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore.
at the time that
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
which person or people
From this reading That was the little water-rat who lived in one of the cottages up in back of the beach.
Wilfred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PASTURES NEW No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut.
wrenchedverbUS /rentʃt/
past form of “wrench” — twist or pull violently or suddenly, especially so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates
From this reading Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about.
