used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading So the cook is going to catch me and bring me to the General, alive or dead, is he?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading So the cook is going to catch me and bring me to the General, alive or dead, is he?
showing who or what does the action
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading So the cook is going to catch me and bring me to the General, alive or dead, is he?
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading “Here comes the cook now!” exclaimed one of the dogs.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading So the cook is going to catch me and bring me to the General, alive or dead, is he?
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
davenportnounUS /ˈdævənpɔːrt/
a city in eastern Iowa on the Mississippi River across from Moline and Rock Island
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading So the cook is going to catch me and bring me to the General, alive or dead, is he?
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
plural of “dog” — a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading “Here comes the cook now!” exclaimed one of the dogs.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading “Here comes the cook now!” exclaimed one of the dogs.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
the act of departing
From this reading So the cook is going to catch me and bring me to the General, alive or dead, is he?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So the cook is going to catch me and bring me to the General, alive or dead, is he?
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “Here comes the cook now!” exclaimed one of the dogs.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So the cook is going to catch me and bring me to the General, alive or dead, is he?
a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
staying power
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
officer'snounUS /ˈɔːfɪsərz/
possessive form of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading So the cook is going to catch me and bring me to the General, alive or dead, is he?
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
RECAPTURES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
precisely, exactly
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
Rosie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
sneezedverbUS /sniːzd/
past form of “sneeze” — exhale spasmodically, as when an irritant entered one's nose
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
express in words
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading So the cook is going to catch me and bring me to the General, alive or dead, is he?
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
at the time that
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading I can tell him right now that he will never be able to give so much as one hair of my beard to him!”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading THE GENERAL RECAPTURES BILLY “Thank you, Miss Rosie de la France, for finding out so much for me.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You certainly did have a narrow escape when under that davenport and you sneezed for you might have had your legs cut off by that officer’s sword.
