Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
angle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
ask
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Let it not be thought that Tammas had asked me to Little Rathie's funeral on his own responsibility.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
Auld
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
bottom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
BURAL
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LITTLE RATHIE'S “BURAL.”
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
button
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
chimney-pot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
coat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
company
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
Covenanting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
decorum
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
Devout-under-difficulties
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
dropped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
eternal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
farmer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
flapped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
funeral
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Let it not be thought that Tammas had asked me to Little Rathie's funeral on his own responsibility.
funerals
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
hat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
hold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
horses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
ignominy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
kept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
kirk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
Lang
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
Letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Let it not be thought that Tammas had asked me to Little Rathie's funeral on his own responsibility.
Licht
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
LITTLEnounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading LITTLE RATHIE'S “BURAL.”
lum
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Let it not be thought that Tammas had asked me to Little Rathie's funeral on his own responsibility.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
namenounUS /name/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Let it not be thought that Tammas had asked me to Little Rathie's funeral on his own responsibility.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Let it not be thought that Tammas had asked me to Little Rathie's funeral on his own responsibility.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Let it not be thought that Tammas had asked me to Little Rathie's funeral on his own responsibility.
pleasure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
rash
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
RATHIE'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LITTLE RATHIE'S “BURAL.”
relaxed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
reserved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
responsibility
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Let it not be thought that Tammas had asked me to Little Rathie's funeral on his own responsibility.
school-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
sideways
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
swallow-tail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
Tammas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
times
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
try
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
villanously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
walking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As a good Auld Licht, Tammas reserved his swallow-tail coat and “lum hat” (chimney-pot) for the kirk and funerals; but the coat would have flapped villanously, to Tammas' eternal ignominy, had he for one rash moment relaxed his hold of the bottom button, and it was only by walking sideways, as horses sometimes try to do, that the hat could be kept at the angle of decorum.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
wintry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Devout-under-difficulties would have been the name of Lang Tammas had he been of Covenanting times.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So I thought one wintry afternoon, years before I went to the school-house, when he dropped in to ask the pleasure of my company to the farmer of Little Rathie's “bural.”
