Chapter IV

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading "What is it, Tomkins?" the lieutenant asked.

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

an old word for “before”

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

(of persons) excessively affected by emotion

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading I will go up with you."

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

moving to the inside of something

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "What is it, Tomkins?" the lieutenant asked.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "What is it, Tomkins?" the lieutenant asked.

plural of “keep” — the financial means whereby one lives

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

a commissioned military officer

From this reading "What is it, Tomkins?" the lieutenant asked.

a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves)

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

a form of address for a man

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

plural of “negro” — a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

not any; not one

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

the one or ones belonging to us

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

-ing form of “point” — indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

precisely, exactly

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

any member of a ship's crew

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

term of address for a man

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

a thing, without saying which

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

not in physical motion

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

an exchange of ideas via conversation

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading "Quite right, Tomkins; no doubt he does hear something, their ears are a good deal better than ours are.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "What is it, Tomkins?" the lieutenant asked.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

precisely as stated

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "What is it, Tomkins?" the lieutenant asked.

at the time that

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading I will go up with you."

in the company of; together with

From this reading A SHARP FIGHT Mr. Playford and Nat were still talking when a sailor came up to him with one of the negroes.

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Well, sir, this 'ere black seems to hear something; he keeps pointing up into the wood and whispering something in his own lingo and looking very excited, so I thought I had better bring him here to you."