used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading What time did Mr. Harper say he wanted you at the bank?
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading What time did Mr. Harper say he wanted you at the bank?
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
bestowingverbUS /bɪˈstoʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “bestow” — present
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
inflected form of “buy” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
cake-box
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
cakesnounUS /keɪks/
plural of “cake” — a block of solid substance (such as soap or wax)
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading What time did Mr. Harper say he wanted you at the bank?
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
frostedadjectiveUS /ˈfrɔːstəd/
(of glass) having a roughened coating resembling frost
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
HarpernounUS /ˈhɑːrpər/
someone who plays the harp
From this reading What time did Mr. Harper say he wanted you at the bank?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What time did Mr. Harper say he wanted you at the bank?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Was it nine o’clock?
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
a form of address for a man
From this reading What time did Mr. Harper say he wanted you at the bank?
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading Was it nine o’clock?
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading Was it nine o’clock?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
express in words
From this reading What time did Mr. Harper say he wanted you at the bank?
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I thought so.
spongeverbUS /spʌndʒ/
wipe with a sponge, so as to clean or moisten
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
SummersnounUS /ˈsʌmərz/
plural of “summer” — the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading I thought so.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading What time did Mr. Harper say he wanted you at the bank?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
tomorrownounUS /təˈmɑːroʊ/
the day after today
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading What time did Mr. Harper say he wanted you at the bank?
Wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Was it nine o’clock?
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What time did Mr. Harper say he wanted you at the bank?
in or at the place that
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
whirledverbUS /wɜːrld/
past form of “whirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Now,” said Mrs. Summers as she whirled about from the cake-box, where she had been bestowing a dozen lovely frosted sponge cakes that had been left over and she had bought, “you must get to bed!
you've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I know you are all worn out, and you’ve got to be on hand early tomorrow morning.
