used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
anew
From this reading "Let's hear you say your little piece again, Jose."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Melissy, behind the counter, leaned her elbows on it and fastened her eyes on the boyish face of the officer.
boyishadjectiveUS /ˈbɔɪɪʃ/
befitting or characteristic of a young boy
From this reading Melissy, behind the counter, leaned her elbows on it and fastened her eyes on the boyish face of the officer.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
counternounUS /ˈkaʊntər/
table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted
From this reading Melissy, behind the counter, leaned her elbows on it and fastened her eyes on the boyish face of the officer.
deputynounUS /ˈdepjəti/
someone authorized to exercise the powers of sheriff in emergencies
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
drivernounUS /ˈdraɪvər/
the operator of a motor vehicle
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
elbowsnounUS /ˈelboʊz/
plural of “elbow” — hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading Melissy, behind the counter, leaned her elbows on it and fastened her eyes on the boyish face of the officer.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Melissy, behind the counter, leaned her elbows on it and fastened her eyes on the boyish face of the officer.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading Melissy, behind the counter, leaned her elbows on it and fastened her eyes on the boyish face of the officer.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading "Let's hear you say your little piece again, Jose."
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Melissy, behind the counter, leaned her elbows on it and fastened her eyes on the boyish face of the officer.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In her heart she was troubled.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
Jose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Let's hear you say your little piece again, Jose."
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading Melissy, behind the counter, leaned her elbows on it and fastened her eyes on the boyish face of the officer.
Let's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Let's hear you say your little piece again, Jose."
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Let's hear you say your little piece again, Jose."
Melissy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Melissy, behind the counter, leaned her elbows on it and fastened her eyes on the boyish face of the officer.
MexicannounUS /ˈmeksəkən/
a native or inhabitant of Mexico
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading Melissy, behind the counter, leaned her elbows on it and fastened her eyes on the boyish face of the officer.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Melissy, behind the counter, leaned her elbows on it and fastened her eyes on the boyish face of the officer.
patteredverbUS /ˈpætərd/
past form of “patter” — rain gently
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading "Let's hear you say your little piece again, Jose."
with low volume
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
express in words
From this reading "Let's hear you say your little piece again, Jose."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In her heart she was troubled.
woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
in or at that place or location
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
a special situation
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading In her heart she was troubled.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In her heart she was troubled.
WATERINGnounUS /ˈwɔːtərɪŋ/
shedding tears
From this reading WATERING SHEEP The deputy glanced quietly round, nodded here and there at sight of the familiar face of an acquaintance, and spoke to the driver.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The Mexican now had it by heart, and he pattered off the thing from beginning to end without a pause.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Let's hear you say your little piece again, Jose."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Let's hear you say your little piece again, Jose."
