used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
(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 They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading _Billy Mink._ Rats are born thieves.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading _Billy Mink._ Rats are born thieves.
brought into existence
From this reading _Billy Mink._ Rats are born thieves.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
farmhousenounUS /ˈfɑːrmhaʊs/
house for a farmer and family
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
set up or found
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
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 Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
MinknounUS /mɪŋk/
the expensive fur of a mink
From this reading _Billy Mink._ Rats are born thieves.
a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
nibbledverbUS /ˈnɪbəld/
past form of “nibble” — bite off very small pieces
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
not any; not one
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
on one occasion
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
and nothing more
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
RatsnounUS /ræts/
plural of “rat” — any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
From this reading _Billy Mink._ Rats are born thieves.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
get rid of
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
sparknounUS /spɑːrk/
a momentary flash of light
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
stealverbUS /stiːl/
take without the owner's consent
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
thievesnounUS /θiːvz/
plural of “thief” — a criminal who takes property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it
From this reading _Billy Mink._ Rats are born thieves.
a special situation
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
very small
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A tiny spark, once it is free, An awful thing may grow to be.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
the act of using
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading There, having nothing else to do, he nibbled at them to see what the queer stuff on the ends of them might be.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They not only steal food, but they carry off many other things, things for which they really have no use at all.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Now it happened that one of the young Rats in the farmhouse found some matches and took them to his nest under the floor of the shed.
