used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They are a skulking set of vermin."
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading At last, they returned to the stairway by which they had entered and so found their way above ground.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They are a skulking set of vermin."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last, they returned to the stairway by which they had entered and so found their way above ground.
BafflednounUS /ˈbæfəld/
people who are frustrated and perplexed
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading THE DOOM OF THE TRAITOR But what, meantime, had become of the pursuers?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading THE DOOM OF THE TRAITOR But what, meantime, had become of the pursuers?
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
chalk-marks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
disgustedadjectiveUS /dɪsˈɡʌstəd/
having a strong distaste from surfeit
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
DOOMverbUS /duːm/
decree or designate beforehand
From this reading THE DOOM OF THE TRAITOR But what, meantime, had become of the pursuers?
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading At last, they returned to the stairway by which they had entered and so found their way above ground.
experiencing or showing fear
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
set up or found
From this reading At last, they returned to the stairway by which they had entered and so found their way above ground.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading At last, they returned to the stairway by which they had entered and so found their way above ground.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE DOOM OF THE TRAITOR But what, meantime, had become of the pursuers?
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
labyrinthnounUS /ˈlæbərɪnθ/
complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
immediately past
From this reading At last, they returned to the stairway by which they had entered and so found their way above ground.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
the time between one event, process, or period and another
From this reading THE DOOM OF THE TRAITOR But what, meantime, had become of the pursuers?
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
not any; not one
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE DOOM OF THE TRAITOR But what, meantime, had become of the pursuers?
any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
preynounUS /preɪ/
a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
pursuersnounUS /pərˈsuːərz/
plural of “pursuer” — a person who is pursuing and trying to overtake or capture
From this reading THE DOOM OF THE TRAITOR But what, meantime, had become of the pursuers?
ratsnounUS /ræts/
plural of “rat” — any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
retreatednounUS /riˈtriːtəd/
people who have retreated
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading At last, they returned to the stairway by which they had entered and so found their way above ground.
plural of “run” — a score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
seizeverbUS /siːz/
take hold of; grab
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading They are a skulking set of vermin."
skulkingnounUS /ˈskʌlkɪŋ/
evading duty or work by pretending to be incapacitated
From this reading They are a skulking set of vermin."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading At last, they returned to the stairway by which they had entered and so found their way above ground.
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
stairwaynounUS /ˈsterweɪ/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading At last, they returned to the stairway by which they had entered and so found their way above ground.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
sullenlyadverb
in a sullen manner
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DOOM OF THE TRAITOR But what, meantime, had become of the pursuers?
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
tracingnounUS /ˈtreɪsɪŋ/
the act of drawing a plan or diagram or outline
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
TRAITORnounUS /ˈtreɪtər/
someone who betrays his country by committing treason
From this reading THE DOOM OF THE TRAITOR But what, meantime, had become of the pursuers?
undergroundadjectiveUS /ˈʌndərɡraʊnd/
under the level of the ground
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
verminnounUS /ˈvɜːrmɪn/
an irritating or obnoxious person
From this reading They are a skulking set of vermin."
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 Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Baffled in their effort to seize their prey, and fearful of losing their way in this tangled labyrinth they had sullenly retreated, tracing their steps by the chalk-marks they had made upon the walls.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading THE DOOM OF THE TRAITOR But what, meantime, had become of the pursuers?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading At last, they returned to the stairway by which they had entered and so found their way above ground.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading "This is no work for soldiers," muttered the disgusted officer, "hunting these rats through their underground runs.
