used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
(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 Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn't burn.
bucketnounUS /ˈbʌkət/
a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top
From this reading He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn't burn.
To consume or be consumed by fire.
From this reading He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn't burn.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
coalnounUS /koʊl/
fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period
From this reading He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn't burn.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn't burn.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
DumpsnounUS /dʌmps/
an informal expression for a mildly depressed state
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
elfnounUS /elf/
(folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
elvesnounUS /elvz/
an acronym for emissions of light and very low frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
at any time
From this reading Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
a social unit living together
From this reading He and his family had lived like that for years.
start firing a weapon
From this reading He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn't burn.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He and his family had lived like that for years.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
howledverbUS /haʊld/
past form of “howl” — emit long loud cries
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
kickedverbUS /kɪkt/
past form of “kick” — drive or propel with the foot
From this reading He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn't burn.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He and his family had lived like that for years.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
on one occasion
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
potsnounUS /pɑːts/
plural of “pot” — metal or earthenware cooking vessel that is usually round and deep; often has a handle and lid
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
To recall to mind.
From this reading Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
scowledverbUS /skaʊld/
past form of “scowl” — frown with displeasure
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
shiveredverbUS /ˈʃɪvərd/
past form of “shiver” — tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn't burn.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
stumbledverbUS /ˈstʌmbəld/
past form of “stumble” — walk unsteadily
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn't burn.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
at the time that
From this reading He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn't burn.
which person or people
From this reading Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
wouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn't burn.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
a late time of life
From this reading He and his family had lived like that for years.
