used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
blowingnounUS /ˈbloʊɪŋ/
processing that involves blowing a gas
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
caravannounUS /ˈkærəvæn/
a procession (of wagons or mules or camels) traveling together in single file
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
CARAVANSnounUS /ˈkærəvænz/
plural of “caravan” — a procession (of wagons or mules or camels) traveling together in single file
From this reading THE CARAVANS.
Clare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
a state at a particular time
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
cross-countryadverbUS /ˈkrɔːskʌntri/
not following tracks or roads
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
dandelion-seed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
dismissedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsmɪst/
having lost your job
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
elephantnounUS /ˈeləfənt/
five-toed pachyderm
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
felineadjectiveUS /ˈfiːlaɪn/
of or relating to cats
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
flanknounUS /flæŋk/
the side of military or naval formation
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
fortnightnounUS /ˈfɔːrtnaɪt/
a period of fourteen consecutive days
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
highwaynounUS /ˈhaɪweɪ/
a major road for any form of motor transport
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
menagerienounUS /məˈnædʒəri/
a collection of live animals for study or display
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
a particular point in time
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
and nothing more
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
the force of policemen and officers
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
(theology) the origination of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
cut with a saw
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
successive (without a break)
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CARAVANS.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
the act of going from one place to another
From this reading Passing one day from a cross-country road into the highway, he came straight on the flank of a travelling menagerie.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was one of some size, and Clare saw at a glance that its horses were in fair condition.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The front part of the little procession had already gone by, and an elephant was passing at the moment with a caravan--of feline creatures, as Clare afterwards learned, behind him.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Within a fortnight or so after the police had dismissed him, blowing him loose on the world like a dandelion-seed in the wind, Clare had an adventure which not only gave him pleasure, but led to work and food and interest in life.
