used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
arrownounUS /ˈæroʊ/
a mark to indicate a direction or relation
From this reading My arrow can be of no use to you, so give it to me.”
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading So he shot back the bolt, and the gold-bearded man stepped out into the world.
barsnounUS /bɑːrz/
gymnastic apparatus consisting of two parallel wooden rods supported on uprights
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading My arrow can be of no use to you, so give it to me.”
inflected form of “beg” — call upon in supplication; entreat
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
boltnounUS /boʊlt/
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
From this reading So he shot back the bolt, and the gold-bearded man stepped out into the world.
a youthful male person
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading My arrow can be of no use to you, so give it to me.”
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
in a serious manner
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
at any time
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading My arrow can be of no use to you, so give it to me.”
gold-bearded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he shot back the bolt, and the gold-bearded man stepped out into the world.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
having or involving the use of hands
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
harderadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdər/
comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
provoking horror
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading So he shot back the bolt, and the gold-bearded man stepped out into the world.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading My arrow can be of no use to you, so give it to me.”
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading My arrow can be of no use to you, so give it to me.”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
not any; not one
From this reading My arrow can be of no use to you, so give it to me.”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading My arrow can be of no use to you, so give it to me.”
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
pitiedverbUS /ˈpɪtiːd/
inflected form of “pity” — share the suffering of
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
past form of “pray” — address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
prince'snounUS /ˈprɪnsɪz/
possessive form of “prince” — a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
returnsnounUS /rɪˈtɜːrnz/
plural of “return” — document giving the tax collector information about the taxpayer's tax liability
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading So he shot back the bolt, and the gold-bearded man stepped out into the world.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading My arrow can be of no use to you, so give it to me.”
sorrowsnounUS /ˈsɑːroʊz/
plural of “sorrow” — an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
stepfathernounUS /ˈstepfɑːðər/
the husband of your mother by a subsequent marriage
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading So he shot back the bolt, and the gold-bearded man stepped out into the world.
tender-hearted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
having come into contact
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
the act of using
From this reading My arrow can be of no use to you, so give it to me.”
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
at the time that
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
which person or people
From this reading Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading So he shot back the bolt, and the gold-bearded man stepped out into the world.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war.
