used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
Abner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Take that feller thar,” Abner went on, referring to Baker.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
ain't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alan ain't none o' yore shoutin' kind o' Christians.
Alan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
(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 He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
axedverbUS /ækst/
past form of “axe” — chop or split with an ax
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
BakernounUS /ˈbeɪkər/
someone who bakes commercially
From this reading “Take that feller thar,” Abner went on, referring to Baker.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
befriendin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
bein
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
biggestadjectiveUS /ˈbɪɡəst/
superlative of “big” — above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
ChristiansnounUS /ˈkrɪstʃənz/
plural of “christian” — a religious person who believes Jesus is the Christ and who is a member of a Christian denomination
From this reading Alan ain't none o' yore shoutin' kind o' Christians.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
(United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
customernounUS /ˈkʌstəmər/
someone who pays for goods or services
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
dare-devil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
fellernounUS /ˈfelər/
a person who fells trees
From this reading “Take that feller thar,” Abner went on, referring to Baker.
fer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
fust
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
gits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
hardestadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdəst/
superlative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
He's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
a sacred place of pilgrimage
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
im
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading Alan ain't none o' yore shoutin' kind o' Christians.
past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
moonshinernoun
someone who makes or sells illegal liquor
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
not one, and not any
From this reading Alan ain't none o' yore shoutin' kind o' Christians.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
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 Alan ain't none o' yore shoutin' kind o' Christians.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Take that feller thar,” Abner went on, referring to Baker.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
referringverbUS /rɪˈfɜːrɪŋ/
inflected form of “refer” — make reference to
From this reading “Take that feller thar,” Abner went on, referring to Baker.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
shoutin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alan ain't none o' yore shoutin' kind o' Christians.
carry out
From this reading “Take that feller thar,” Abner went on, referring to Baker.
express in words
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
thar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Take that feller thar,” Abner went on, referring to Baker.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Take that feller thar,” Abner went on, referring to Baker.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Take that feller thar,” Abner went on, referring to Baker.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Take that feller thar,” Abner went on, referring to Baker.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He used to be the biggest dare-devil moonshiner in all these mountains; but Alan kept befriendin' 'im fust one way an' another tell he up one day an' axed Alan what he could do fer 'im.
at the time that
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading He's got a wife an' seven children an' is a holy terror when he gits drunk.
but in spite of that
From this reading “He's about the hardest customer in this county, an' yet he's bein' managed right now.
yorenounUS /jɔːr/
time long past
From this reading Alan ain't none o' yore shoutin' kind o' Christians.
