used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
acquiringnounUS /əˈkwaɪrɪŋ/
the act of acquiring something
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
how long something has existed
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
AutobiographicaladjectiveUS /ˌɔːtəbaɪəˈɡræfɪkəl/
of or relating to or characteristic of an autobiographer
From this reading Reminiscentially Autobiographical.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
boyhoodnounUS /ˈbɔɪhʊd/
the childhood of a boy
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
buggiesnounUS /ˈbʌɡiz/
plural of “buggy” — a small lightweight carriage; drawn by a single horse
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
clingingverbUS /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
coterienounUS /ˈkoʊtəri/
an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
darkeningadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːrkənɪŋ/
becoming dark or darker as from waning light or clouding over
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
drivesnounUS /draɪvz/
plural of “drive” — the act of applying force to propel something
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
Elkins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
fishernounUS /ˈfɪʃər/
someone whose occupation is catching fish
From this reading Jim preferred the boys, and the trade of the fisher and huntsman.
followersnounUS /ˈfɑːloʊərz/
a group of followers or enthusiasts
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
fryverbUS /fraɪ/
be excessively hot
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
huntsmannounUS /ˈhʌntsmən/
someone who hunts game
From this reading Jim preferred the boys, and the trade of the fisher and huntsman.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
Jim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jim preferred the boys, and the trade of the fisher and huntsman.
Jimmie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
lipnounUS /lɪp/
either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
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 At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
used to form the superlative
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
(of games) engaged in
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
more desirable than another
From this reading Jim preferred the boys, and the trade of the fisher and huntsman.
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
razornounUS /ˈreɪzər/
edge tool used in shaving
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
Reminiscentially
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Reminiscentially Autobiographical.
seventeenadjectiveUS /ˈsevənˈtiːn/
being one more than sixteen
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
smalleradjectiveUS /ˈsmɔːlər/
small or little relative to something else
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
past form of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
Sunday-night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
tastesnounUS /teɪsts/
plural of “taste” — the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
the upper part of anything
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
the commercial exchange (buying and selling on domestic or international markets) of goods and services
From this reading Jim preferred the boys, and the trade of the fisher and huntsman.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading At seventeen he had a coterie of followers among the smaller fry of ten and twelve, his tastes clinging long to the things of boyhood.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
at the time that
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
a late time of life
From this reading This Jimmie Elkins was several years older than I; but that did not prevent us, as boys, from being fast friends.
youthsnounUS /juːðz/
plural of “youth” — a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading He and I played together, after the darkening of his lip suggested the razor, and when the youths of his age were most of them acquiring top buggies, and thinking of the long Sunday-night drives with their girls.
