used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
AEROPLANEnoun
an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Then the boys bent down and began extricating the groaning thing from the wreck of something.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading Then the boys bent down and began extricating the groaning thing from the wreck of something.
Billie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
brooknounUS /brʊk/
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading She tried to push past him, but her brother stopped her.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She tried to push past him, but her brother stopped her.
Chet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
without doubt or question
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Then the boys bent down and began extricating the groaning thing from the wreck of something.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
extricatingverbUS /ˈekstrəkeɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “extricate” — release from entanglement of difficulty
From this reading Then the boys bent down and began extricating the groaning thing from the wreck of something.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Then the boys bent down and began extricating the groaning thing from the wreck of something.
brought together in one place
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
groanedverbUS /ɡroʊnd/
past form of “groan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
groaningverbUS /ˈɡroʊnɪŋ/
-ing form of “groan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading Then the boys bent down and began extricating the groaning thing from the wreck of something.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She tried to push past him, but her brother stopped her.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She tried to push past him, but her brother stopped her.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
noisesnounUS /ˈnɔɪzɪz/
plural of “noise” — sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading She tried to push past him, but her brother stopped her.
pushverbUS /pʊʃ/
move with force
From this reading She tried to push past him, but her brother stopped her.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
recollectionnounUS /ˌrekəˈlekʃən/
the ability to recall past occurrences
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
sputteringnounUS /ˈspʌtərɪŋ/
the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading She tried to push past him, but her brother stopped her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then the boys bent down and began extricating the groaning thing from the wreck of something.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
a special situation
From this reading Then the boys bent down and began extricating the groaning thing from the wreck of something.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She tried to push past him, but her brother stopped her.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading She tried to push past him, but her brother stopped her.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading They had a vague and confused recollection of seeing the boys gathered around something in the bushes at the brook that groaned a little and made queer sputtering noises.
precisely as stated
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Chet, what is it?" cried Billie, with an impression that she was living a dream.
wrecknounUS /rek/
something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
From this reading Then the boys bent down and began extricating the groaning thing from the wreck of something.
WRECKEDadjectiveUS /rekt/
destroyed in an accident
From this reading THE WRECKED AEROPLANE The girls never remembered very clearly what happened after that.
