used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
(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 THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
apprehensionsnounUS /ˌæprɪˈhenʃənz/
plural of “apprehension” — fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
past form of “approach” — move towards
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
ArchernounUS /ˈɑːrtʃər/
a person who is expert in the use of a bow and arrow
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
backslidingnounUS /ˈbækslaɪdɪŋ/
a failure to maintain a higher state
From this reading "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading But before he had a chance to lose his courage Tom had knocked softly on the door.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The nearer they came to it the less dependable seemed Tom's theory.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading But before he had a chance to lose his courage Tom had knocked softly on the door.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
From this reading But before he had a chance to lose his courage Tom had knocked softly on the door.
deductionsnounUS /dɪˈdʌkʃənz/
plural of “deduction” — a reduction in the gross amount on which a tax is calculated; reduces taxes by the percentage fixed for the taxpayer's income bracket
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
dependableadjectiveUS /dɪˈpendəbəl/
worthy of reliance or trust
From this reading The nearer they came to it the less dependable seemed Tom's theory.
dismaladjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/
causing dejection
From this reading "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading But before he had a chance to lose his courage Tom had knocked softly on the door.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But before he had a chance to lose his courage Tom had knocked softly on the door.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But before he had a chance to lose his courage Tom had knocked softly on the door.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But before he had a chance to lose his courage Tom had knocked softly on the door.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The nearer they came to it the less dependable seemed Tom's theory.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading But before he had a chance to lose his courage Tom had knocked softly on the door.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading The nearer they came to it the less dependable seemed Tom's theory.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
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 They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading But before he had a chance to lose his courage Tom had knocked softly on the door.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
MERNON
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading The nearer they came to it the less dependable seemed Tom's theory.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But before he had a chance to lose his courage Tom had knocked softly on the door.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
precisely, exactly
From this reading "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
scufflingverbUS /ˈskʌfəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “scuffle” — walk by dragging one's feet
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The nearer they came to it the less dependable seemed Tom's theory.
with low volume
From this reading But before he had a chance to lose his courage Tom had knocked softly on the door.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
stoopingadjectiveUS /ˈstuːpɪŋ/
having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
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 "It might be all right in a story book," Archer said, backsliding into dismal apprehensions.
successive (without a break)
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
express a supposition
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
From this reading The nearer they came to it the less dependable seemed Tom's theory.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The nearer they came to it the less dependable seemed Tom's theory.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
male cat
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
Tom'snounUS /tɑːmz/
possessive form of “tom” — male cat
From this reading The nearer they came to it the less dependable seemed Tom's theory.
trepidationnounUS /ˌtrepɪˈdeɪʃən/
a feeling of alarm or dread
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
WEAVERnounUS /ˈwiːvər/
a craftsman who weaves cloth
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
a Caucasian
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
wrinkledadjectiveUS /ˈrɪŋkəld/
marked by wrinkles
From this reading They could hear a scuffling sound inside and then the door was opened cautiously by a little stooping old man with a pale, deeply wrinkled face, and long, straight white hair.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading THE WEAVER OF MERNON But for all these fine deductions, you are not to suppose that Tom and Archer approached the little house without trepidation.
