used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading No, everybody swallowed these people's lies whole, and never asked a question of any sort or about anything.
any thing at all
From this reading No, everybody swallowed these people's lies whole, and never asked a question of any sort or about anything.
arrivingverbUS /ərˈaɪvɪŋ/
-ing form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading No, everybody swallowed these people's lies whole, and never asked a question of any sort or about anything.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But nobody ever thought of so simple and common-sense a thing at that.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
the two together, not just one
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But nobody ever thought of so simple and common-sense a thing at that.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
captivitynounUS /kæpˈtɪvəti/
the state of being imprisoned
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
common-sense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But nobody ever thought of so simple and common-sense a thing at that.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
credentialsnounUS /krəˈdenʃəlz/
a document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
at any time
From this reading But nobody ever thought of so simple and common-sense a thing at that.
every person
From this reading No, everybody swallowed these people's lies whole, and never asked a question of any sort or about anything.
far-away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
usually; as a rule
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
only a very short time before
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
lawlessadjectiveUS /ˈlɔːləs/
without law or control
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
liarsnounUS /ˈlaɪərz/
plural of “liar” — a person who has lied or who lies repeatedly
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
From this reading No, everybody swallowed these people's lies whole, and never asked a question of any sort or about anything.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
loadedadjectiveUS /ˈloʊdɪd/
filled with a great quantity
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
localitynounUS /loʊˈkæləti/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
not any; not one
From this reading No, everybody swallowed these people's lies whole, and never asked a question of any sort or about anything.
no person; not anyone
From this reading But nobody ever thought of so simple and common-sense a thing at that.
novelettenoun
a short novel
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
people'snounUS /ˈpiːpəlz/
possessive form of “people” — (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading No, everybody swallowed these people's lies whole, and never asked a question of any sort or about anything.
pointernounUS /ˈpɔɪntər/
a mark to indicate a direction or relation
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
The daughter of a monarch; a female member of a royal family.
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading No, everybody swallowed these people's lies whole, and never asked a question of any sort or about anything.
routenounUS /ruːt/
an established line of travel or access
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
scoundrelnounUS /ˈskaʊndrəl/
a wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
sexesnounUS /ˈseksəz/
plural of “sex” — activities associated with sexual intercourse
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading But nobody ever thought of so simple and common-sense a thing at that.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading No, everybody swallowed these people's lies whole, and never asked a question of any sort or about anything.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
swallowedverbUS /ˈswɑːloʊd/
past form of “swallow” — pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking
From this reading No, everybody swallowed these people's lies whole, and never asked a question of any sort or about anything.
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 Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
in or at that place or location
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
a special situation
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading But nobody ever thought of so simple and common-sense a thing at that.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
trampsnounUS /træmpz/
plural of “tramp” — a vagrant
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
under normal conditions
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
migratory
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
nonexistent
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
in or at the place that
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading No, everybody swallowed these people's lies whole, and never asked a question of any sort or about anything.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Hardly a month went by without one of these tramps arriving; and generally loaded with a tale about some princess or other wanting help to get her out of some far-away castle where she was held in captivity by a lawless scoundrel, usually a giant.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
YANKEEnounUS /ˈjæŋki/
an American who lives in the North (especially during the American Civil War)
From this reading THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES There never was such a country for wandering liars; and they were of both sexes.
an affirmative
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Now you would think that the first thing the king would do after listening to such a novelette from an entire stranger, would be to ask for credentials--yes, and a pointer or two as to locality of castle, best route to it, and so on.
