used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A RACE FOR THE RAILROAD CUP.
agilitynounUS /əˈdʒɪləti/
the gracefulness of a person or animal that is quick and nimble
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
(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 He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
athleticadjectiveUS /æθˈletɪk/
relating to or befitting athletics or athletes
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
bicyclingnounUS /ˈbaɪsɪkəlɪŋ/
riding a bicycle
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
BlakenounUS /bleɪk/
visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
boxernounUS /ˈbɑːksər/
someone who fights with his fists for sport
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
assets available for use in the production of further assets
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
a boy or man
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
classesnounUS /ˈklæsəz/
plural of “class” — a collection of things sharing a common attribute
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading A RACE FOR THE RAILROAD CUP.
decidedlyadverbUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdədli/
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
endurancenounUS /ˈendərəns/
the power to withstand hardship or stress
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
Euston
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
excelledverbUS /ɪkˈseld/
inflected form of “excel” — distinguish oneself
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
expertadjectiveUS /ˈekspərt/
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
a boy or man
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A RACE FOR THE RAILROAD CUP.
set up or found
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
destroyed or killed
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
maintainingverbUS /meɪnˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “maintain” — cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
musclesnounUS /ˈmʌsəlz/
plural of “muscle” — one of the contractile organs of the body
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
plural of “power” — possession of controlling influence
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
with speed
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
any competition
From this reading A RACE FOR THE RAILROAD CUP.
racingnounUS /ˈreɪsɪŋ/
the sport of engaging in contests of speed
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
RAILROADnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading A RACE FOR THE RAILROAD CUP.
a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
ridernounUS /ˈraɪdər/
a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
Identical; not different.
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
slightly-built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
sportsnounUS /spɔːrts/
plural of “sport” — an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A RACE FOR THE RAILROAD CUP.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He excelled in all athletic sports, was a capital boxer, and at the same time found little difficulty in maintaining a good rank in his classes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
precisely as stated
From this reading He had taken to bicycling from the very first, and quickly became an expert rider, though he had never gone in for racing.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
wiresnounUS /ˈwaɪərz/
plural of “wire” — ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading He was a slightly-built chap; but with muscles like steel wires, and possessed of wonderful agility and powers of endurance.
a late time of life
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Young Blake had now been in Euston two years, and was, among the boys, decidedly the most popular fellow in the place.
