used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
back-yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
bethought
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
bittenverbUS /ˈbɪtən/
inflected form of “bite” — to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
blastedadjectiveUS /ˈblæstəd/
expletives used informally as intensifiers
From this reading 'O, Canary, it is a blasted shame!'
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
canarynounUS /kəˈneri/
someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
centre-bit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
commonlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːmənli/
under normal conditions
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
compositionnounUS /ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃən/
the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
consolationnounUS /ˌkɑːnsəˈleɪʃən/
the comfort you feel when consoled in times of disappointment
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
crookedadjectiveUS /ˈkrʊkəd/
having or marked by bends or angles; not straight or aligned
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
designedadjectiveUS /dɪˈzaɪnd/
done or made or performed with purpose and intent
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
DickynounUS /ˈdɪki/
a small third seat in the back of an old-fashioned two-seater
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
discnounUS /dɪsk/
sound recording consisting of a disk with a continuous groove; used to reproduce music by rotating while a phonograph needle tracks in the groove
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
donkeynounUS /ˈdɑːŋki/
the symbol of the Democratic Party; introduced in cartoons by Thomas Nast in 1874
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
dripverbUS /drɪp/
fall in drops
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
to or in any or all places
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
fouladjectiveUS /faʊl/
highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
gnawingverbUS /ˈnɔːɪŋ/
-ing form of “gnaw” — bite or chew on with the teeth
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
grief-strickenadjective
sorrowful through loss or deprivation
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
Gullen's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
gumsnounUS /ɡʌmz/
plural of “gum” — a preparation (usually made of sweetened chicle) for chewing
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
heroicadjectiveUS /hɪˈroʊɪk/
very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale)
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading 'O, Canary, it is a blasted shame!'
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
mangyadjectiveUS /ˈmeɪndʒi/
having many worn or threadbare spots in the nap
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
narrativenounUS /ˈnærətɪv/
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 And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading 'O, Canary, it is a blasted shame!'
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
Rann
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
roundedadjectiveUS /ˈraʊndəd/
curving and somewhat round in shape rather than jagged
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
From this reading 'O, Canary, it is a blasted shame!'
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
solacenounUS /ˈsɑːləs/
the comfort you feel when consoled in times of disappointment
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
splinteredverbUS /ˈsplɪntərd/
past form of “splinter” — withdraw from an organization or communion
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
make square
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
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 And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
up to a particular time
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
Tommy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
twitchverbUS /twɪtʃ/
make an uncontrolled, short, jerky motion
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
welcomedverbUS /ˈwelkəmd/
past form of “welcome” — accept gladly
From this reading A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was; for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's back-yard.
a Caucasian
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
wrongsnounUS /rɔːŋz/
plural of “wrong” — that which is contrary to the principles of justice or law
From this reading And so Dicky, his arms about the mangy neck, told the tale of his wrongs till consolation came in composition of the heroic narrative designed for Tommy Rann.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones.
