used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Surely that’s not a bear-track,” said Alice.
Alice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Surely that’s not a bear-track,” said Alice.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading STRANGE PERILS The strange oval footprint was at least ten inches long.
bear-track
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Surely that’s not a bear-track,” said Alice.
beehives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “That is, if elephants had claws and ever robbed beehives.”
Carl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “More like the track of a young elephant, I should think,” Carl returned.
claw-marks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
clawsnounUS /klɔːz/
plural of “claw” — sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles
From this reading “That is, if elephants had claws and ever robbed beehives.”
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
elephantnounUS /ˈeləfənt/
five-toed pachyderm
From this reading “More like the track of a young elephant, I should think,” Carl returned.
elephantsnounUS /ˈeləfənts/
plural of “elephant” — five-toed pachyderm
From this reading “That is, if elephants had claws and ever robbed beehives.”
at any time
From this reading “That is, if elephants had claws and ever robbed beehives.”
footprintnounUS /ˈfʊtprɪnt/
a mark of a foot or shoe on a surface
From this reading STRANGE PERILS The strange oval footprint was at least ten inches long.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “More like the track of a young elephant, I should think,” Carl returned.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “That is, if elephants had claws and ever robbed beehives.”
plural of “inch” — a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading STRANGE PERILS The strange oval footprint was at least ten inches long.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “That is, if elephants had claws and ever robbed beehives.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading STRANGE PERILS The strange oval footprint was at least ten inches long.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “More like the track of a young elephant, I should think,” Carl returned.
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 STRANGE PERILS The strange oval footprint was at least ten inches long.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “More like the track of a young elephant, I should think,” Carl returned.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Surely that’s not a bear-track,” said Alice.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “More like the track of a young elephant, I should think,” Carl returned.
ovalnounUS /ˈoʊvəl/
a closed plane curve resulting from the intersection of a circular cone and a plane cutting completely through it
From this reading STRANGE PERILS The strange oval footprint was at least ten inches long.
PERILSnounUS /ˈperəlz/
plural of “peril” — a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading STRANGE PERILS The strange oval footprint was at least ten inches long.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading “More like the track of a young elephant, I should think,” Carl returned.
robbedverbUS /rɑːbd/
inflected form of “rob” — take something away by force or without the consent of the owner
From this reading “That is, if elephants had claws and ever robbed beehives.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Surely that’s not a bear-track,” said Alice.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading “More like the track of a young elephant, I should think,” Carl returned.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading STRANGE PERILS The strange oval footprint was at least ten inches long.
sunkadjectiveUS /sʌŋk/
doomed to extinction
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading STRANGE PERILS The strange oval footprint was at least ten inches long.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
that's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Surely that’s not a bear-track,” said Alice.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading STRANGE PERILS The strange oval footprint was at least ten inches long.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading “More like the track of a young elephant, I should think,” Carl returned.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading “More like the track of a young elephant, I should think,” Carl returned.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading STRANGE PERILS The strange oval footprint was at least ten inches long.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The creature that had made it was surely heavy, for it had sunk deep into the ground; and there were four claw-marks.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “More like the track of a young elephant, I should think,” Carl returned.
