used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE END OF A THIEF.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/
feeling or showing anger
From this reading Being only half satisfied he seemed angry at being disturbed in his meal.
from appearances alone
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
past form of “approach” — move towards
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The wildcat had evidently found the hanging carcass not a great while before.
Beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Being only half satisfied he seemed angry at being disturbed in his meal.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
buckverbUS /bʌk/
to strive with determination
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
carcassnounUS /ˈkɑːrkəs/
the dead body of an animal especially one slaughtered and dressed for food
From this reading The wildcat had evidently found the hanging carcass not a great while before.
clungverbUS /klʌŋ/
inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
danglingnounUS /ˈdæŋɡəlɪŋ/
the act of suspending something (hanging it from above so it moves freely)
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
having the place or position changed
From this reading Being only half satisfied he seemed angry at being disturbed in his meal.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading THE END OF A THIEF.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The wildcat had evidently found the hanging carcass not a great while before.
make plain and comprehensible
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
set up or found
From this reading The wildcat had evidently found the hanging carcass not a great while before.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The wildcat had evidently found the hanging carcass not a great while before.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The wildcat had evidently found the hanging carcass not a great while before.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Being only half satisfied he seemed angry at being disturbed in his meal.
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading The wildcat had evidently found the hanging carcass not a great while before.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Being only half satisfied he seemed angry at being disturbed in his meal.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Being only half satisfied he seemed angry at being disturbed in his meal.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading Being only half satisfied he seemed angry at being disturbed in his meal.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The wildcat had evidently found the hanging carcass not a great while before.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE END OF A THIEF.
and nothing more
From this reading Being only half satisfied he seemed angry at being disturbed in his meal.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
regalingverbUS /rɪˈɡeɪlɪŋ/
-ing form of “regale” — provide with choice or abundant food or drink
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
filled with satisfaction
From this reading Being only half satisfied he seemed angry at being disturbed in his meal.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Being only half satisfied he seemed angry at being disturbed in his meal.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE END OF A THIEF.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
THIEFnounUS /θiːf/
a criminal who takes property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it
From this reading THE END OF A THIEF.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
unawaresadverbUS /ˌʌnəˈwerz/
without forethought or plan; inadvertently
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
the topmost one of two
From this reading At the time the three boys approached he had been regaling himself as he clung to the upper part of the dangling buck.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The wildcat had evidently found the hanging carcass not a great while before.
wildcatnounUS /ˈwaɪldkæt/
an exploratory oil well drilled in land not known to be an oil field
From this reading The wildcat had evidently found the hanging carcass not a great while before.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The boys happened to be "down the wind" from him, and this would explain how it was they came upon him apparently unawares.
