used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading Wasn't quite bad, but he couldn't hold his own with older fellows.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
biggestadjectiveUS /ˈbɪɡəst/
superlative of “big” — above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Wasn't quite bad, but he couldn't hold his own with older fellows.
a boy or man
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wasn't quite bad, but he couldn't hold his own with older fellows.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Do you mind me smoking?”
at any time
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
plural of “fellow” — a boy or man
From this reading Wasn't quite bad, but he couldn't hold his own with older fellows.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
the act of departing
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
he'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Wasn't quite bad, but he couldn't hold his own with older fellows.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Wasn't quite bad, but he couldn't hold his own with older fellows.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
Letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
matchesnounUS /ˈmætʃəz/
plural of “match” — lighter consisting of a thin piece of wood or cardboard tipped with combustible chemical; ignites with friction
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Do you mind me smoking?”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading Wasn't quite bad, but he couldn't hold his own with older fellows.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Wasn't quite bad, but he couldn't hold his own with older fellows.
a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Wasn't quite bad, but he couldn't hold his own with older fellows.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
scrapeverbUS /skreɪp/
scratch repeatedly
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
From this reading Do you mind me smoking?”
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 And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
express in words
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
Wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wasn't quite bad, but he couldn't hold his own with older fellows.
(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, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And then he made himself busy with matches and a pipe that was ever going out for the rest of the story.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Let me tell you how he got... one chap out of the biggest scrape he'll ever fall into.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “Well, you see, this man, clerk in our office, had not been long up from the country, and he was young.
